


Most Beautiful Princess

by TheWritingMustache



Category: Assassin's Creed, Prototype (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bad Parenting, Child Abuse, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Other, Prompt Fill, Slurs, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 16:29:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2658671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWritingMustache/pseuds/TheWritingMustache
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She has the prettiest eyes, the loveliest face, the most neglected of character. She's something else and Desmond falls head over heels for her. He just wants to be at her side and fight off all the threats constantly hanging over her head. He just wants her to feel loved, like she belongs (and rightly so!).</p><p>She's beautiful to him, an angel, the apple of his eye, a gorgeous princess. And Desmond will do anything to help her achieve that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I got carried away with this story and I love it.
> 
> Anyway, because of the nature of the original prompt and story, yes, this is about a transgender character who still has the genitalia they were born with and has yet to take any hormones or have any surgery. There will be mentions and showings of transphobia, and I will always make a note of it at the start of every chapter.
> 
> My advanced apologies for how my story may be portrayed and read. I've never written something like this before, nor have I yet to experience the same things the characters in this story will. If anything about it starts to become rather uncomfortable or triggering, let me know immediately. I'd rather make the story easier to read for everyone than just keep marching along like nothing is wrong.
> 
> I think that should cover this for now, I hope you enjoy something about this story, and updates will come and go as they do.
> 
>  
> 
> \------
> 
> listen to the soundtrack as you read http://8tracks.com/fancykelstache/most-beautiful-princess

Desmond feels appalled that he’s never noticed her before. Really, he should have, considering their lockers have probably been somewhat next to each other since they started high school. But to give her some credit, she was someone who wasn’t meant to be seen, someone who threw herself into the shadows and out on the edges. She was someone who didn’t open her mouth, let herself blend in with the crowd and disappear in the mob.

Yet, here she was, dejectedly picking up textbooks, papers, and pencils off the floor after some assholes knocked them out of her arms and shoved her into some lockers. In response, Desmond had done the same back to them, “Lay off asswipes, get the fuck out of here!”

Desmond had only done it because he couldn’t stand to see someone being so openly pushed around for no good reason (or any reason he could see outright). And after he sent those goons packing, he turned his attention back to her. Most kids had fled already, either to classes they desperately didn’t want to be late to, or because they knew a fight was about to erupt and they didn’t want to be near it.

Without saying anything, Desmond dropped to his knees to help her gather her things. He only spoke to her when he had gathered all that was left and helped her pack it away into her bag and such. “Are you okay?” Desmond finally asked. They looked at each other then. Desmond would never forget the experience of looking at her for the first time. A soft face with decisively high cheek bones, her hair dark and falling well past her shoulders in messy, but wavy stretched out curls. 

But her eyes. Framed by thick, black glasses, they were the bluest eyes Desmond ever had the pleasure of looking into. Essentially, she was absolutely breathtaking. He watched the hurt fade from her eyes and be replaced with panic and shock. She didn’t say anything back to him, just shot back up to her feet and hurried off to class, leaving Desmond the floor to watch her go with wide eyes and a pounding heart.

Who was she?

 

x-X-X-x

 

Desmond couldn’t get over her. He wasn’t a believer in “love at first sight”, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in her. What was her name, what was her voice like, why had those boys pushed her around like that? Just, who the fuck was she? So he texted Clay in the middle of biology, he knew just about everyone in school, surely he would know.

‘Bro, do you know a kid, long black hair, super blue eyes, wears a baggy sweatshirt?’

Clay got back to him minutes later, but somehow Desmond wasn’t comforted by the answer, because he felt like something about it was completely off.

‘Yeah dude, that’s Alex Mercer. He’s the smartest kid in our grade’

He?

 

x-X-X-x

 

“Are you sure?” Desmond asked Clay two class periods later. “Cause they’re way too pretty to be a boy”

“I’m serious,” Clay shrugged. “It’s what it says in the school records and shit. Why do you care anyway?”

Desmond explained the day’s events from earlier. And he told Clay how he may or may not be interested in seeing this Alex Mercer again.

“Don’t do it bro,” Clay warned him. “Sure, Mercer’s smart and all, but he’s like, one of the most disliked kids in our grade, maybe the school. Like he’s all got going for him is his smarts, and that’s really it. He doesn’t talk to anyone, he has no friends, and even all the other super nerdy dudes resent him. I just wouldn’t bother”

That only made Desmond more determined.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Desmond saw her again after school at the bike racks. Desmond had to bring his own bike today, his brother had his car. And he saw her there unchaining her bike. So he approached her, watched her freeze up as she did, only moving her head to look up at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Hi, Alex,” he said to her. “How ya doing?”

She just started at him like he had grown a second head.

“My name’s Desmond,” he told her. “I just wanted to say hi.”

She kept staring at him, unmoving, unblinking. Desmond awkwardly rocks back and forth in his heels, until he finally says his goodbyes, not wanting to keep her any longer than need be.

“See you around, Alex” he said, and walked away to his own bike.

 

x-X-X-x

 

It seems like after that, Desmond notices her presence more and more. Before, she would just slightly enter his field of vision, then disappear, another face that wasn’t important to memorize. But now Desmond is hyperaware of her existence. He wants to talk to her, so bad. He wants to look at her just as much. But she always keeps her head down, let her untamed lion’s mane drape over her face.

Desmond wished he had some good reason to approach her other than just a lame “hey there”. He agonized over it for a week, trying to devise some sort of reason or rhyme to go talk to her. It felt like middle school all over again, back when he first crushed on Lucy, and couldn’t even confess to his own best friend that he liked her like that. Except that was Lucy and she knew him like the back of her hand, and he didn’t have to go through a terrifying and awkward confession.

But he didn’t know Alex. He didn’t really know anything about her other than her name, and her style of dress, and her standing in school. But that didn’t tell him anything about her. He wanted to know things like, what was her favorite movie, her favorite book, favorite food, music, pulp or no pulp, the works.

It got worse when his friends finally noticed that he was mooning over this girl hardcore. Rebecca would make comments about it, “Aw look you guys, he’s thinking about her~”. In which case, Desmond would blush and sputter while everyone else would elbow him playfully and ask if he’s even talked to her yet, or ask when they get to meet her.

And even though he joined in on the jeers, Clay would give Desmond a knowing glance, because only Clay knew who they were all talking about. But he didn’t just outright spill the beans, that was something for Desmond to say himself.

This continued on for another few weeks until Desmond finally, finally saw his chance, and took it.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Alex eats lunch alone in the corner where no one could bother her, and that is where Desmond found her. He just saw her there, and without even thinking, changed directions until he was plopping himself down at the table with her. Alex looked up at with those blue eyes widening in surprise. A guarded look immediately crossed her face, this was clearly something she hadn’t been expecting.

“I wanted to say hi to you,” Desmond blurted out. “And talk to you. For a few weeks now. So….Hi”

She blinked at him. Desmond suddenly felt very stupid for just running up to her like he did. But he knew if he left now, he’d so regret it. Hope pierced at his heart when he saw her jaw clench and unclench, and her mouth started to open and-

“Hi….Go the fuck away”

She spoke softly, but he still heard the rusty gruff in her voice.

“I just wanna talk to you” Desmond said.

“No,” Alex said back. “Go away.”

“But I’ve been wanting to talk to you!”

“Why?”

“Cause I like you”

“Go. Away. Now.”

Desmond shot up from his seat and ran off.

x-X-X-x

“Clay I fucked up” Desmond whined at his friend later that day. “I just wanted to talk, and I fucked up”

“What’d you say, bro?”

“I like you”

“Bro. Bro no. Bro, you didn’t it!”

“I diiid”

“Desmooond, you iiiidiot”

Desmond covered his face up and whined some more. He still felt the burn of shame, the terror of knowing he fucked up after wanting to do this for weeks. He didn’t know what to do anymore. That’s what he got for running into it headfirst without thinking. Now Mercer was never going to talk to him again. Probably hated him too.

“Clay tell me what to do” Desmond begged. “I still wanna know ‘em. I still, still just wanna knoooow. I don’t wanna give up.”

“Then don’t?” Clay suggested. “Look, just give it some time, and go bother Mercer later. And if he bites your head off again, then that’s your own fault”

Desmond nodded, he would then. Even if he still felt wrong referring to Mercer the way Clay did.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Chance number two came one day in the school office. Desmond was running some papers to the front desk for a teacher, and was about to leave when he saw Alex walking in and heading into the nurses’s office. So Desmond followed, trailing behind her so she wouldn’t notice him. He waited until she had gone inside before entering, but found she wasn’t there anymore. But he did hear the bathroom door in the office click close.

So he waited some more. The nurse asked him if he needed anything, and when he said no, she let him be, just don’t stay too long. When Alex came out, they caught each other’s eyes, and Alex huffed loudly and stormed out of the office with Desmond sprinting after her.

“Leave me alone” Alex snarled at him once they were out in the halls.

“I’m sorry about the other day,” Desmond apologized. “I got nervous, and I fucked up. I really do just wanna talk to you, please?”

Alex shot him a glare over her shoulder. “Why do you even care? And don’t say because you like me again, or else I will beat your face in.”

“But I do,” Desmond whined. “Okay I get it, because I do, I’m not entitled to bother you. But I’ve literally been thinking about you for weeks.”

“Bullshit you have”

“I think you have the prettiest eyes”

Alex screeched to a halt and turned around to properly face him.

“What?”

“Your eyes. I’ve never seen eyes like yours before and I think they’re beautiful.”

Alex’s mouth moved, but nothing came out, and her pale face suddenly flushed.

“And I think your face is pretty too,” Desmond went on. “I just think you’re lovely overall.”

Alex’s mouth clenched shut and she looked away from him, her face red as a beet. Desmond supposed she didn’t get such honest compliments very often. He also supposed she didn’t get to talk to anybody in general.

“Who’s your favorite band?” Desmond suddenly asked. They were here, no interruptions, no one to see them or anything. Sure, they probably both needed to get back to class, but Desmond couldn’t let her go that easily.

“I don’t,” Alex began, sucking in a breath of air before continuing. “I don’t…listen to a lot of music…”

“Okay,” Desmond said. “Food?”

“…No preference.”

“Movie?”

“Tangled.”

There was a pause.

“I have a little sister, okay? She’s obsessed with Disney.” Alex explained hotly.

“No, it’s cool,” Desmond reassured. “Personally I prefer The Little Mermaid…Hey, Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you want me to call you?”

“C-call me?”

“Yeah, what do you personally prefer?”

They fell into a long silence. Alex was staring down at the ground, jaw clenched tight again. Desmond rocked back and forth on his heels as he waited. He could stand there all day for an answer, he didn’t care. He just wanted to know. Didn’t matter he was missing class and his teacher was probably wondering where the fuck he was, he wasn’t leaving until he knew. Eventually Alex looked up at him, and he saw that look again in her eyes, panic, and shocked replaced with fear.

He just nodded at her and held her gaze. They continued to stand there in utter silence until Alex finally found her voice.

“Sh-…She a-and h-her…please…”

“Okay,” Desmond grinned. “And I’m just regular old…He and him I guess? Yeah.”

Alex nodded back. “I-I gotta go,” she said.

“I’ll see you later then?” Desmond asked. Alex nodded again, and they parted. Desmond walked back to class like he was on cloud nine. He text Clay along the way.

‘I talked to her again. We’re cool. C: ‘

‘…Her?’

 

x-X-X-x

 

In response, Alex finally starts noticing him. She’ll say hi to him at their lockers if Desmond doesn’t say hello to her first. If they pass each other in the halls, Desmond will smile at her, or make some weird face at her. No matter what he does, she’ll smile back, or look away out of embarrassment. Every other day, Desmond will abandon his friends to sit with Alex at lunch. He hasn’t offered her the chance to eat lunch at his table yet, mostly because he fears she’ll be overwhelmed by everyone. And while his friends are pretty liberal and chill, Desmond’s not entirely sure on how he wants to introduce them to Alex without freaking the latter out.

And that is phase one of their friendship.

Phase two commences a month after. Phase two starts with Desmond walking Alex to the bike racks, and staying with her long enough for her to unchain her bike and watch her race off. Alex is responsible for her little sister after school, so she rushes to the local elementary school to get her. Desmond already knows he’s going to miss this once track starts up and he’ll be at school until the early evening. So he enjoys their short time together after school.

Alex is an intellect, an academic, a debater. Too many times to count, when they have each other’s company for too long, they’ll get into a long winded discussion on something. The discussions usually turn out the same, Desmond is an ignorant fuck and Alex is clearly the superior thinker. Desmond accepts he’s no where near as smart as Alex, but he loves watching her get worked up about something, loves watching how animated she gets, the way she talks with her hands, and she looks serious. And he loves the satisfied smirk she gets when she trounces him after a rousing talk.

Desmond could honestly listen to her all day.

He tells her that one time, says to her how much he loves her voice and loves how passionate she gets, and really it’s no wonder she has the best grades of their class as a whole. And then it’s his turn to smirk as Alex gets flustered, and constantly complimenting her is not going to score him any points on the scale of her being right versus him being right.

Yeah, sure it doesn’t.

 

x-X-X-x

 

One day the clouds gather and the skies darken. The cloud becomes heavier and grayer with each passing hour, until finally in the early morning, the rain is finally set loose. And it pours, all day long. The sound of rain hitting the rooftop is ever present. And it’s still there even after school ends, and kids are racing to cars and buses, any sort of shelter they can find. Desmond doesn’t understand how Alex could have possibly biked to school on a day like this, but he certainly isn’t going to let her bike home with giant puddles flooding the streets.

“Do you want a ride?” Desmond asks her as they hover around the bike racks. “You can put your bike in my truck bed.”

“My sister” Alex says.

“We can get her too. Come on, just for today, let me help you out, Alex.”

Alex looks out at the sidewalks and roads, bites at her lips, and then finally agrees. She unchains her bike, and wheels it out of the bikes section and they cross the parking lot to student parking. Desmond hefts her bike up into his truck once they find it, and they both scurry inside to get avoid getting any more wet than they already were.

It’s a frustrating drive through town, all the cars on the road backed up or creeping slowly along through puddles. But they make it through anyway, and Desmond balks at the school they eventually pull up to.

“Holy shit,” Desmond gasped. “This was my elementary school when I was a kid. That’s wild. Do you two live around here?”

“Sorta,” Alex replied. “Close enough it’s not out of the way when I take her to school every day,”

“You didn’t go here too, did you?”

“I didn’t live here in town for elementary school.”

Alex left it at that. Desmond pulls into the driveway and parks. Alex hops out of the truck, slams the door, and hurries into the daycare center to retriever her little sister. Minutes later, she returns with little Dana Mercer who she hustles into the backseat with their backpacks.

Dana’s the cutest thing Desmond has ever seen. She still has that round baby face, full lips, rusted brown hair in twin pigtails on either side of her head. But her eyes. Those blue, blue eyes are a family trait it seems. And she turns those sparkling eyes on him with wonder and curiosity.

“Hi Dana,” Desmond smiles at her. “I’m Desmond. I’m your sister’s friend.”

“Hi Desmond!” Dana chirps back at him in that squeaky, five year old chipmunk voice. Desmond can feel his everything melting in all the right place, goddammit she is too cute. Alex doesn’t say much, just tells Dana to buckle up in that authoritative, parent voice Desmond has heard his own brothers try on him numerous times.

Dana responds with a quick yet cheery, “Okay, Allie!” and does so. As they drive around to the Mercer household, Dana immediately launches into an epic retelling of her day, mostly because today was so exciting with all the rain, and they had recess inside and got to play board games and with LEGOs. They even had lunch in their classrooms, and since today was a P.E day for some classes, they had it in the cafeteria, and that was fun cause they played broom ball and it was just the best. Day. Ever.

Desmond is almost reluctant to let her go once they arrive at the Mercer household. It’s still pouring rain once they arrive. Alex sends Dana to the door with the key, and Desmond gets the bike out the back so Alex can wheel it inside. Desmond gets as far as the front door, standing there without really going inside.

“Thanks for the ride” Alex says to him as she props the bike up by the door, ready to go for tomorrow. “I…I appreciate it”

“What are friends for?” Desmond grins. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you then.”

“Byyye Desmond!” Dana calls from inside the house, and he can see her waving at him from over Alex’s shoulder.

“Bye Dana, nice meeting you!” Desmond calls back. He gives Alex on more smile before he hurries back to his truck.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some slight slight slight bits of like transphobia if you can see it as that. It's just one line or two, I felt like I should warn anyone anyway.

“Hey…Desmond?” Alex suddenly asks him one day. “Is…Is it alright if I come with you at lunch tomorrow?”

“What do you mean? With my friends?”

“Yeah. Like, is that okay?”

“No, yeah, yes! That’s totally okay! They’ve been wanting to meet you for like, forever now. That’d be great! And you’re sure you wanna sit with them?”

“Y-yeah…Yeah I’m sure. I can handle a couple dunderheads like you, Desmond”

Desmond makes a face at her.

“Alright then Ms. Smarty Pants, be ready then”

 

x-X-X-x

 

They meet at their lockers the next day, and Desmond leads Alex to the lunch table with his friends. He texted everyone last night saying Alex would be joining them, and for them to watch their fucking mouths (Clay and Shaun), just be polite, don’t set her off or anything. He got, more or less, positive to neutral responses. Rebecca’s was the most reassuring with her texting back, ‘TFW MEETING THE GF.’

To which Desmond quickly responded back to, ‘She’s not my girlfriend, just my friend who happens to be a girl, and if you say that in front of her, she will die, and I will too’

So Desmond is a little more than anxious to introduce Alex to the gang. But he leads her to the table with his head high and a look of hope on his face. There’s nothing to worry about, and he just has to keep telling himself that, everything will be fine.

Shaun, Rebecca, and Clay are already there. Rebecca notices them first as they approach, and a huge, excited smile dawns on her. She quickly slaps Shaun’s arm to get his attention, and she nods her head towards them.

Alex stops walking, her deer in the headlights syndrome kicking in. Desmond looks back at her to see the fear and uncertainty washing over her. Right, great start, they weren’t even there yet.

“Ignore her, she’s always like that” Desmond reassured Alex. Alex bit at her lip, but forced herself forward anyway until Desmond was sitting her down at the table.

“Hey guuuuys” Desmond greeted them. “So this is Allllex.”

“Hi, Alex!” Clay and Rebecca chimed in.

“Mercer.” Shaun said stiffly.

“Oh,” Alex spoke as her terrified demeanor faded away, and Desmond could hear the business creeping in to her voice. “Hello, Hastings. Ass still sore from when I fucked it over this morning?”

The table went dead silent as Shaun began to fume.

“Don’t go feeding that overinflated ego of yours,” Shaun scoffed. “Next time you won’t be so lucky!”

“I think I will,” Alex hissed. “Cause I always have been. Get over it, Hastings, and be content to eat my dust.”

“Uhm,” Clay started, glancing between the two. “And which class do you two have again?”

“AP US History,” Shaun grumbled. “Bloody waste of my time really.”

“Oh I know it is. How else am I better than you in that class?” Alex carried on, and Desmond could have sworn Shaun looked ready to jump at her and tear her limb from limb. But thankfully he didn’t, because the satisfied smirk on Alex’s lip was really fucking cute, and Desmond didn’t realize until then she simply got a kick out of antagonizing people with an actual brain.

Yup, still cute.

Before anyone else can say anything, Lucy finally walks up to plop her books down at the table with a ‘whoomp’. 

“Hi guys” she chirps happily at them. The table responds warmly back to her. Lucy glanced down to Alex and shot her a warm smile. “Oh, hi! Alex, right?”

Alex nods back.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you! We’ve been waiting foreverr for Desmond to bring you over.”

Desmond flinches at that, and looks to Alex in time to see her blush.

“Y-yeah?” Alex asks.

“Ohhh yeah,” Clay pipes up. “Everyday, you can see it on his dumb face,” and he sighed loudly with a goofy grin, staring up at the sky. “You guys there’s this girl. She’s sooooo dreamy. I don’t have to say anything, I know you all know I’m thinking about her and-“

Desmond threw himself at Clay to shut him up.

 

x-X-X-x

 

“I’m really sorry about them” was the first thing Desmond blurted out at Alex later that day after the final school bell rang. “Especially Clay. I really thought they’d be chill, I told them to be, I didn’t think they were gonna go on about that!”

Alex blinks at him, and then turns aways to keep shoving books in and out of her locker from her backpack. Desmond just waits, feeling absolutely shitty and crushed. He nearly killed Clay at lunch, and once they sorted that out, he nearly leapt at Rebecca too when she started going on about it. He knew his obvious crush on Alex was obvious, but not enough to where his friends needed to give him crap in front of the girl in question!

Alex’s locker slams shut and she starts walking off towards the direction bike racks. Desmond looks away, shoulders slumping. He figures she doesn’t want to talk right now, and really, he wouldn’t blame her. But Desmond doubts himself too much, and he’s more than surprised when Alex seemed to notice he wasn’t following along, and she turns back to grab his arm and pull at him.

She smirks at his dumb expression as they walk. Desmond quickly falls into step beside her.

“They were…amusing” Alex says in that softened tone of hers. “Hastings is just fun to mess with. Clay reminds me a lot of you. I thought Rebecca was pretty amusing as well. And Lucy…I suppose you could say I was rather startled by how kind she outright was. I know her already, sorta. I know she’s up there in terms of the higher grades amongst us, and that she’s chairman on a lot of committees, but that’s it really.”

“So they didn’t bother you too much?” Desmond asks.

“Not really,” Alex says. “They didn’t seem bothered by me, so I’m cool with them for now.”

Desmond lets out a sigh of relief, but smiles when he hears a soft laugh from her.

“So about that crush on me…”

Oh no.

“Are they right?”

Alex looks up at him, blue eyes peering out from the top of her glasses. Desmond suddenly feels very hot under the collar, at a lost for words. They stop walking to keep staring each other while Desmond’s mind races to come up with an answer. The answer is so obviously yet, but the word itself just skips right over his mouth and he’s left with a gaping mouth incapable of speech.

“Okay then,” Alex giggles. “How about…I tell you that…you’re pretty sweet yourself…And I like you a little too?”

“A little?” Desmond echoes.

“Just a little” Alex nods, and her hand comes up to twirl some of hair around her finger. “Cause…I enjoy hanging out with you, and…You’re different.”

“How am I different?”

“You just are. I dunno how to explain. I feel comfortable around you, one amazing feat all on its own. Try not to make too much credit for it but…”

“You don’t have to explain, honest, you don’t.”

They don’t say anything more and continue on. Desmond feels with every step, he’s floating higher and higher off the ground. No, that wasn’t a full confession in the slightest, and who knows how long their small feelings of infatuation would last. But it still makes his chest flutter anyway.

Alex and Desmond part ways as usual after the former’s bike is free from the racks. They don’t hug, or kiss, or even touch each other. But they do smile at each other for way too long before Alex has to tear herself away and hurry off to her sister.

Desmond watches her go, then races back across school to find Lucy.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Lucy is indeed on several committees around school, and one such committee is held on this day after school. Desmond finds her and pulls her away from everything when he does. Only Desmond is allowed to get away this, he’s seen other people try, and they usually never succeed. Lucy still sighs and rolls her eyes as he pulls her out into the hall.

“What is it, Desmond? I’d like to get some work done today before I head home”

“She likes me back!”

“Does she now?”

“Just a little. Like an itty bit. Juuuust an itty bitty bit.”

“And this is…Alex we’re talking about?”

“Yup!”

Lucy sighs again, but it’s a good natured one as she smiles at him. Desmond had known Lucy since they were young, inseparable twins in their early years, a short fling in middle school when Lucy had grown boobs and Desmond realized she was a girl, but still amazingly close friends even after that. Desmond told her about almost everything, and everything else went to Clay. But she was here, and she had to know, and he was excited.

“So, you’ve known her what, a month or something now?” Lucy asks. “Not counting the time between you first meeting her and the time you two actually became friends.”

“Yeeees, just about?” Desmond replied. “Let’s be real, we’re teenagers, when was the last time you saw someone get into an actually serious relationship in a reasonable amount of time?”

“I know, I know” Lucy rolls her eyes. “I’m just…Look, Alex seems like a nice person, to a point. I’m just worried? I’ve heard a lot of-“

Desmond gives her a hard look.

“…Heard a lot of unpleasant things about her. Mostly petty things. But I know she’s not well liked. And you’re not worried you’re gonna catch any of her baggage?”

“Nope,” Desmond replied simply. “I’m not that kind of asshole, Lucy.”

“I never said you were!”

“So I’m not worried. If some jerkwad wants to come after me, let them. But Alex is my friend, and I like her, and I’m not gonna let anything else happen to her. Imagine if you were bullied and picked on every day of your life, and then finally, you meet the one person who doesn’t ignore or ridicule you. Maybe she likes me a little because I’m the first person to care about her and not treat her like shit, so you know I just-“

Lucy clamps her hands on his shoulders.

“Desmond!” she hisses. “Lower your voice, you’re almost yelling.”

“Sorry,” Desmond huffs. “I just…No one deserves that, okay?”

“Okay,” Lucy nodded. “Desmond, it’s fine, I’m sorry. Do me a favor though?”

“What’s that?”

“Bring her back to lunch tomorrow”

 

x-X-X-x

 

Time passes, springs come in, and that means it’s time for Spring Break. It’s a very welcome break that everyone has been dying for. Desmond wishes he could have such a break, but ever since track started back up, he knows he won’t be getting the much needed rest or study time he’d like. Nor will he have a lot of time to his friends, which is a shame because he’d to hang out and do goofy, stupid teenager shit that they were meant to do over spring break.

And then he wouldn’t get to see Alex. But he could call her. Or she would call him. Either way, he wrote his cell number on her forearm the last day of school before break. Just whipped out a pen, rolled one of her oversized black sleeves, and jotted his number down. The red of the pen stood out brightly against her very pale skin, to which Desmond snored and said to her, “Get some sun this week, you need it.”

To which she responded by rolling the sleeve back down and slapping him with it.

“Don’t kill yourself running,” Alex said and grinned at him. “And do something fun for me.”

“Do it yourself,” Desmond laughed. “You won’t die either, I promise.”

She actually hugged him before she left school that day. It was a really awkward hug where she didn’t quite know what to do with her arms, and she just pressed her tiny frame against his chest for a few seconds before hopping on her bike and taking off.

But it was so totally a hug.

Desmond took it as a glorious victory as he hauled ass across school to get changed into his track uniform. She was all he could think about at practice. He honestly appreciated that she tried to show some form of affection towards him, it was the most she had ever shown him other than smiles or pulling at his arm.

Desmond had simply learned to just appreciate the simple things with Alex. She was quiet in theory, but when she had something to say, holy shit did she say it. Watching her do homework was headache inducing, because it was super long and complicated, but her handwriting was like chicken scratch and it was a mystery as to how anyone could read it and determine it was English. Her sweaters and jackets were so large on her, she was constantly pulling her arms in so she could stay warm. And if Desmond noticed, he’d pick up a sleeve and whap it in her face.

And he also noticed how her nose would scrunch up when he did. Little things like that.

Practice seemed to pass by without him noticing. Desmond was too lost in the haze from thinking about one Ms. Alex Mercer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> awks conversation about attraction and gender identity ahead

It’s the middle of the week when Alex finally calls him. Desmond doesn’t realize he had been waiting for it until that moment when he looked down at his phone and saw an unknown number calling him. At first he’s confused, but then it hits him, and he suddenly can’t work this thumbs and just can’t seem to answer it fast enough.

“Hello?” he asks once he finally hits the button and holds his phone up to his ear.

“Desmond?” he hears Alex’s voice ask back.

“Hey!” he chirps. “What’s up? Been missing me?”

“I’m gonna hang up on you”

“Hey hey, whoah whoah, don’t do thaaat!”

He hears a soft laugh from the other side, and he can easily picture her smirk.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I kinda do? It’s been way too quiet of a week without you or anyone else” Alex said.

“Yeaaah, I know,” Desmond sighs. “Been missing you too. Keep meaning to have a get together, but everyone else is out of town or fucking busy. So much for this being a break huh?”

“I mean I’ve been busy too. Mostly with chores. I cleaned the whoooole house, Desmond.”

“Okay?”

“The. Whole. Fucking. House. I don’t think I’ve had time to clean it since…Oh god who knows how long. It’s gross, Desmond, it was just really gross holy shit.”

He can half imagine Alex on her hands and knees, scrubbing away at the floor with a soapy brush, much like a commercial for a mop from the 50s or something.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Desmond says. “So then what else have you-“

“WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?”

Desmond has to hold the phone away from his ear as that high pitched voice suddenly splits his ear drum in half.

“Dana, no, go back to your room, it’s not done yet.”

“Allllliiiie who are you taaaalking toooo?”

Now Desmond can’t help but chuckle. He totally understands being the annoying younger sibling to has to get up in their older sibling’s business, especially on the phone with someone.

“Dana, it’s just me!” Desmond calls out into the phone.

“IS THAT DESOMUND? CAN I TALK TO HIM?”

“Dana Cristal Mercer, I swear to god, if you don’t stop yelling right now-“

He hears a loud, muffled noise, followed by more shouts between Alex and Dana. Desmond can’t hear much after, a lot of scuffling really. And then he hears it, a faint farting like noise as Dana begins to howl with laughter. Desmond waits for them to finish, and it’s another minute before the phone is picked back up and Alex is speaking to him again.

“Sorry about that,” Alex huffs. “Sent her back upstairs to finish cleaning her room.”

“It’s cool,” Desmond reassures.

“Yeah, whatever. I just wanted to say hi anyway, you know, since you gave me your number and all. Thought I should put it to good use.”

“Awww, I’m happy you thought about me, Alex. I’m flattered.”

“Of course you are. Anyway, I’ve probably wasted enough of your time, i should-“

“Whoah, wait!”

“What?”

“Did you wanna hang out before break ended?”

The sound of silence crackled in Desmond’s ear. He waited patiently for answer, letting the question run through the giant processor that was Alex’s mind. Really he didn’t think it was that big of a deal, if she didn’t want to, all she had to do was say no. Unless she was actually considering it. In which case, she was probably over thinking it and freaking out about it and-

“I don’t have anyone to watch Dana” Alex finally said.

“I’ll come to your place” Desmond replied.

“I dunno, it’s kind of a mess…”

“Didn’t you just spend all day cleaning it?”

More silence.

“…Alex, if you don’t wanna, then okay, I’ll see you-“

“Can you come around one or so? Tomorrow?”

Desmond grinned.

“Yes I can. Are you sure you want me over?”

“…Yes?”

“Positive?”

“Yup”

“Then I’ll see you then. If you can’t after all, don’t be shy about calling me back to cancel”

 

x-X-X-x

 

The next day, Desmond found himself walking onto his old elementary school playground. It felt almost surreal, being here again after all these years. Left as a dopey ten year old and came back as a still dopey, now seventeen year old. Nothing had really changed, but a lot of the equipment, like swings and slides, and the jungle gym, it all looked way smaller than he remembered.

But he watched Dana dump her bike on the blacktop and run over to the monkey bars and climb on no problem. Desmond suspected if he tried the same, he’d end up walking right into them and knocking himself out.

“Jeez,” Desmond breathed. “Fucking nostalgia trip over here.”

“Yeah?” Alex smirked up at him. “Having flashbacks?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe” Desmond grinned back.

Maybe it was also surreal to see Alex wearing something other than her beloved dark colored jackets and sweatshirts. She still wore long sleeves, but it was a more form fitting shirt as opposed to something bigger and lumpier. It was just nice to see she wasn’t a mass of clothing with a head and two legs sticking out from the bottom. He almost wished she dressed like this more often, but he could understand why she didn’t.

But in addition, her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. And for once, he could actually see her face. To him, that was the real treat right there, to see her sharp cheekbones and her strong jaw, and to see the faint splattering of her freckles. Okay, maybe he really just wished she’d pull her hair back more, she had such a pretty face, that was the shame there in hiding it.

“I used to be a lil’ shit on the playground” Desmond said. “I would climb on top of everything. I spent way too many recesses on the bench.”

“Ugh, I would have fucking killed you,” Alex rolled her eyes. “If Dana ever tries that shit, she’d be grounded so fast…”

Desmond laughed, took her hand, and they walked over to the swings to sit down.

“I don’t remember these seats being so small” grunted Desmond as he somehow squeezed his ass awkwardly onto the seat. Alex snickered at him, and she delicately sat down without any fuss. Desmond stuck his tongue out at her. “Curse you and your petite body.”

“Sorry I haven’t grown since freshman year,” Alex retorted. “Not all of us get to be giants like you, Desmond.”

He scowled at her, but his scowl softened and he attempted to start swinging himself up. It was a little hard, his legs too long for this, and he just as awkwardly had to find a way to pump his legs without hitting the sand. Alex on the other hand had no problem at all, and she was swinging up and down past him with relative ease.

“I don’t think I like you anymore” Desmond told her loudly.

“Is that so?” she sneered at him when she swung past his eye level.

“Not in the slightest, ya show off.”

“Green’s not a good color on you, Dessy.”

“Oh shut up!”

“You shut up, whiner!”

Desmond stomped his feet into the sand and stood up. Alex took it the extra mile and jumped off the seat of her swing to land in the sand squarely on her feet. They faced each other, arms akimbo as they stared each other down, a scowl and sneer on their faces each. It was really kinda silly looking.

It felt sillier when they finally launched themselves at each other, and they fell into the sand, but they were laughing anyway. And Alex was fiercer than she looked, and oh she proved it when she ended up perched on Desmond’s chest, and the latter could only stare up at her in pleasant astonishment.

Alex’s mighty reign only lasted briefly. Dana must have seen their small tussle, for the young girl ran over and jumped Alex with a mighty cry, and ended up knocking over. And so the fight resumed.

 

x-X-X-x

 

“We’re gonna die” Alex said for the upteenth time as Desmond pulled her up onto the roof with him. “Okay, i’m going to die.”

“Relaaax,” Desmond assured her. “I know how to get down from here just fine. Live a little.”

Alex didn’t say anything back, just clung to his arm as she made it to the top of the roof. They had left Dana back on the playground with some other kids that had popped up. With her occupied, they had a chance to slip away, time for a little alone time.

“We’re not gonna get caught are we?” she asked him.

“Only if you want to be” Desmond smiled, and he laughed when she slugged his arm.

“I mean it, Desmond.”

“So do I. Trust me, we’ll be fine.”

He forced her to lie back on the roof top with him, only their feet bordering the edge of the roof. The sun had moved and was starting to cast some shadows over the area, but it was far from dark quite yet. Hazy thin clouds hung lazily up in the sky, and the only sounds they heard were the far of shrieks of children, and the chirp of birds. It was a very calming and relaxing moment.

At some point, Alex managed to relax, her death grip on his arm disappeared, and her hand fell down from his bicep to lie flat along his. And then at some point after that, one of their hand’s twitched, and one thing led to another, and their fingers were entwined.

“…Hey Desmond?”

The comfortable silence they had fallen into was broken, and the boy in question turned his head to look over at Alex.

“Yeah?”

“Why do you like me?”

“Cause you’re awesome?”

“No really, why do you like me?”

Desmond furrowed his brows at her.

“Cause you’re you. And I just like you.”

“Why’d you like me before you actually knew me?”

“Have you seen yourself? You’re really pretty.”

Alex let out a loud huff. He didn’t understand what she wanted to hear from him. She was pretty, yes. And smart, and snarky, and was funny when she wanted to be. She was nice to the people who deserved it. What was there not to like?

“Desmond, are you gay?”

What.

“I don’t see what that has to do with liking you.”

“Answer it.”

Desmond sighed.

“No, I’m not. As long as I could remember, I liked girls. I liked girls before, and I like girls now. And especially right now, I like this really pretty and really nice girl with the most amazing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Does that help any?”

Alex didn’t respond, her lips pressed into a thin line, her face pink.

“Look,” Desmond went on. “I don’t care if you still have a dick between your legs. I’m not attracted to that, I’m attracted to you as a person. And if you say you’re a girl, then I am attracted to the girl that is you. Okay? I like you because I can, and I just do. And I’m not gonna think less of you because of what your body looks like. So…don’t worry about it. I think you’re great.”

Alex remained silent, blinking rapidly behind her glasses, and she turned her head away from him. Desmond frowned, but gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

“I like you, Alex.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The third section is not supposed to be amusing. Do not read it as such.

Ew, prom.”

“Not a fan of school dances?”

“They’re just so pointless. I’ve already been dragged to Homecoming a couple times, I just don’t see the point. And it’s super uncomfortable.”

“Well, would you go if you had a date?”

“Psh, not even. I don’t do prom.”

And that was the end of that conversation. Alex walked away, shaking her head, and Desmond just kept staring at the handmade poster for prom tickets.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Unsurprisingly enough, Desmond agonized over the idea of prom anyway. Junior Prom, really nothing to sneeze at. But he couldn’t get it off his mind. He couldn’t get the idea of taking Alex to Prom out of his head. What would she look like in a dress? How drop dead gorgeous would she be in make-up? How would she look under all those different lights on the dance floor? Oh god, did she even know how to dance?

But Alex didn’t wanna go to prom.

Desmond could cry.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Well he didn’t need Alex anyway! He could get a date all on his own! Desmond knew lots of girls outside his circle of friends. Surely one of them needed a date for prom. Easy squeezy lemon peazy. Yet, as Desmond looked at all his options, none of the other girls quite had the dark hair and startling blue eyes he had his heart set on.

And then he made a mistake of asking a guy in his class if he knew of any girls who needed a prom date. The guy looked at him oddly and asked, “Aren’t you gay?”

Desmond didn’t reply, and he just dropped it altogether. 

 

x-X-X-x

 

So he decided to ask Alex. No she didn’t want to go, but what if she said yes if he asked her? It didn’t have to be romantic or anything, it could totally be a friend-date. Just a little something-something to get her out of the house for a night, god knew Alex needed that. Desmond would even get her a babysitter for Dana just to take her out to prom! It. Was. Foolproof.

The next day, Desmond approached Alex at her locker, and blurted out, “Iknowyousaidyouwouldn’twannagobutyouwannagotopromwithmeanyway?”

Alex (and everyone else around them) stared at him with wide eyes and confused faces.

“Huh?” Alex said to him, and without another word, Desmond broke away from her and hurried down the hall while everyone looked own in astonishment.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Lunch that day felt super intense and awkward. Alex didn’t bring up the day’s earlier incident, for which Desmond was thankful for. But she didn’t wait for him after school to walk over to the bike racks, and Desmond didn’t fight it. Instead, he went back to the mental drawing board to devise another method of asking her out.

So that night he called her, ready to give a big pitch about what amazing prom date he would be, and how he’d make sure she’d have the best time ever, wouldn’t regret, it was gonna be so much fun!

But all Desmond got out was a “Hey Alex-“ when the phone was answered, and he got a swift reply back;

“No.”

And then she hung up on him.

 

x-X-X-X

 

Desmond didn’t see Alex at their lockers the next day. At lunch, Alex actually sat on the other side of the table away from him, and casually chatted with Lucy and Rebecca like she wasn’t upset with Desmond, but he knew she was.

So after school let out that day, Desmond went straight to the bike racks as opposed to heading over to his locker. And he sat down on Alex’s bike and waited for her to show up. When she finally did, she was livid the moment she saw him sitting there.

“Let me explain!” Desmond cried at her.

“Get off my bike” Alex snarled at him.

“I know you said you didn’t wanna go, but I just, lemme at least ask you anyway!”

“Off!”

“Alex Mercer, do you wanna go to prom with me?”

“I don’t wanna do anything with anyone! Now one more time, get off my fucking bike!”

Desmond complied, and Alex shoved him away. “Why is it so damn important to you anyway?” Alex asked as she undid the lock and chain on her bike.

“Because it would be fun?” Desmond offered.

Alex let out a huff.

“I’ll pay for it, tickets and all.”

“Ooooh, what a deal breaker.”

“You could wear a dress.”

Piercing blue eyes flicked up at him.

“They’d never let me” Alex said simply.

“No one’s gonna know it’s you.”

“They probably would.”

“Alex….”

“No Desmond, I can’t. You know I can’t.”

“Yes you can, I promise.”

“No, I…I need to go, but I just…it’s just not going to work that way. I’ll see you later.”

 

x-X-X-x

 

But she could, couldn’t see?

It wasn’t like they were going to ask who the dates were, so long as two people showed up and turned in two tickets, admission payed. So what did it matter if one of them was in a dress? Desmond bet Alex would look amazing in one. She already had the deceptively beautiful face, put a little make up on and boom, perfect, right?

That wasn’t the point though, and it took Desmond a while to realize it. He had been more focused on thinking about the great time they could have, and he hadn’t at all thought about Alex’s feelings on the matter. Sure, she perked up a little at the mention of dressing up, but she was right in mentioning that no, no one was going to let her walk through the doors in a dress.

And then what if she did? Was she going to be harassed the whole time she was there? Were the girls going to pick on her, and the boys beat down on her? Fuck, she was already getting bullied as it was, perhaps coming to a school event like that wasn’t such a good idea.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

In the end, Desmond decided it would be best to just drop it all together, and he’d issue Alex an apology the next morning.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Before anyone knew it, the week of prom was upon them. And everyone was freaking out about it, whether it was about dresses, or dinner reservations, or having a date…

It felt like the only two people in the school who weren’t getting all hot and bothered about it were Desmond and Alex. Everyone in their group was going to prom, and as tempted as Desmond was to join him on his own, it just wouldn’t feel fair to him if he went without Alex. Regardless of whether or not she wanted to go, it wasn’t fair to exclude her like that, so he was going to sit this year out with her.

In the meantime, Desmond and Alex had pretty much made up. They had fallen back into that familiar routine again, and laughed about this whole prom dilemma after the fact. It was all, “gee Desmond, way to freak out, what is this, some bad sitcom?”

It was funny, and they laughed, and they moved on with their lives. If anything, their lunchtimes was filled with watching all the other kids in school flip out over something so trivial as a dance. If they had popcorn, they’d sit in the middle of the quad and watch the chaos in utter fascination, stuffing their faces as everyone else tripped over themselves.

Then the Friday before came along, and Desmond was sitting around at home, surfing the web on his laptop, totally unconcerned for tomorrow night. And then around nine, his phone started ringing. Desmond picked it up and hit the speaker, saying aloud, “Hello?”

“Desmond?” came Alex’s voice. He nearly dropped his phone in surprise.

“Uhm ah yes uhm, heeeey~ Wassup girl?”

Smooth as a baby’s bottom.

“I think I change my mind, I so regret calling you if you’re gonna talk like that, ohmygod, nevermind I just- KAREN NO!”

Desmond listened intently as what he imagined was the phone being wrenched out of Alex’s hands and being pressed up to another ear.

“So you’re Desmond” a new voice stated.

“Yup,” he replied back. “To what do I owe the honor of randomly being called this fine evening?”

“Hi Desmond, my name’s Karen. I’m the best friiiend since middle school, secret keeper, only real mother the Mercers haaaaave….You get the point.”

Desmond laughed, “Yeah, I think I do? Nice to meet ya.”

“Likewise. So Desmond, I’ve just become aware that youuu were tying to ask my dear Allie-kins out to your school’s prom?”

“That would be correct, yes. If you’re trying to get me to ask her again, I already let that ship sail, and if she suddenly changed her mind, it’s kinda too late to buy tickets.”

“Oh shut up,” Alex was suddenly worming her way into the conversation. “Not what we’re trying to ask you about.”

“Then what do you want?” Desmond asked.

“For you to take Alex out on a date anyway,” Karen said. “I’ve been trying to get this girl out on one for yeaaaars, you think she listens to me? And finally a boy asks her out, and she says no? Well clearly that didn’t sit well with me. I mean, you sound like a nice guy, and Alex actually likes you, so you’re obviously doing something right-

“So please, for both of us Desmond, just take my Alex out tomorrow night anyway?”

There was silence on both ends of the line. 

The silence gave Desmond time to fully comprehend just exactly what had been said to him. He wasn’t really sure who was trying to ask him out for a date here, Alex, or Karen for Alex. But regardless of who was asking, the gist of it was him and Alex going on a date. Which was basically what he had been wanting for the past couple weeks with prom. But holy shit. Hollly shit.

“You know what this was a bad idea,” Alex’s voice cut in. “Our mistake, sorry Desmond, we’ll just-“

And the line went dead.

Desmond let out a loud squawk, and quickly redialed. The line just rang and rang until it finally went to Karen’s voicemail. He let out a loud curse and decided to just text back instead.

‘You never let me answer :( ‘

‘Alex freaked out’ came the response a minute later. ‘She won’t let me call you back :/ ‘

‘Well tell her I say yes’ ‘and what time should i pick her up at?’

There was no speedy response, and Desmond took the time to jump off his bed and search through his closet for something suitable to wear. Where would he take her? What would he do with her? Dinner was probably a good, safe option. Could take her over the hill to the restaurant his brother worked at, he knew the staff there. So hopefully they wouldn’t…say anything about Desmond bringing Alex over there. Probably the best bet. So nothing too fancy, it was a pretty casual place, they could show up around six and get seated no problem, and then after they could-

Desmond scrambled for his phone when he heard his phone start ringing again. He bounced back across the bed, swept his phone up, and answered.

“Hi,” he said. “So uh, dinner sound good?”

“Yeah,” Alex replied back, and sighed. “Sure, whatever. Look I’m…I’m sorry about Karen, she’s just way too invested in my love life, or lack of one, and thinks your like, some messiah because another human being asked me out to something like prom. You don’t have to say yes.”

“Alright, I don’t have to,” Desmond agreed. “But can I say anyway because I want to? I already know someplace we can go? But only if you really, reaaaally want to. If you don’t, then that’s cool, I’ll just see you Monday.”

“I….I gotta think on it some more” Alex hurriedly said, and then hung up on him again.

 

x-X-X-x

 

It was about one thirty in the morning when Desmond finally closed Netflix and shut his laptop off. He rubbed at his eyes blearily and let out a huge yawn. He set his laptop on his nightstand and pulled his blanket up, face snuggling into his pillow, and he waited for sleep to fully overtake him. Just as he felt like he was about to fall into dreamland, he felt a buzz somewhere under his arm.

He groggily felt around for his phone, glanced at the screen, the tossed it aside and fell asleep. In the morning, around eleven, he woke up when his phone buzzed again, and he sorta sat up in bed confused as fuck, but he still reached over for it anyway.

There were two texts waiting for him. One said;

‘So I guess like, maybe around 5? 5:30 if that’s not too early? I just don’t like being out too late. I’m subject to changing my mind, so don’t get too comfy with the idea, got it?’

The other text said;

‘Hey Desmond, it’s Karen. Just wanted to check in and see if you’re still on for tonight. I’m really for Alex since she’s sitting here making me faces at me. Text me back when you can. ^^ xoxoxox’

Desmond blinked down at the text with dull expression on his face, and it was until much later when he had shambled down to the kitchen and fixed himself a bowl of Cheerios did he realize he had a date with Alex tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day my dear readers. Here's a cute update to hold you over for the next week or so.

Five thirty that evening, on the dot, Desmond parked outside the Parker home. It was a considerably nicer looking home, fresh paint and a neatly trimmed lawn, flowers bursting with life along the walkway and under the living room window. A cheery, homey place that was the complete opposite of the Mercer house just down the street. Desmond strolled up to the front door and rang the door bell, straightening the collar of his shirt as he waited.

Moments later, an older woman with greying blonde hair opened the door up (Mrs. Parker he had to assume), and she smiled at him when she did.

“Hi,” Desmond said to her. “Is uh, Alex here?”

“Come on in,” the woman said, and stood aside. “You must be Desmond. The girls are still getting ready.”

The inside of the Parker home was incredibly well kept, like it popped out of some family magazine that bored housewives read all day and thought they could perfectly emulate while raising their two point five kids. Except, this actually looked like one of those pictures, and the only thing that put if off was little Dana Mercer sitting in front of the TV, eyes glued to a rerun of Spongebob Squarepants.

“Kareeeeen, Aleeeex, Desmond’s here!” Mrs. Parker called out down the hall, then turned back to him. “You just sit tight, they’ll be out in a second.”

Desmond nodded and Mrs. Parker went off down the hall. Desmond strode over to the TV and picked Dana up to throw her over his shoulder.

“Desy!” Dana squealed in delight, giggling as she dangled over his back.

“Hey kiddo, been good?” he asked her with a grin.

“Yaaaaah~” she replied. “Desy, are you really taking Allie on a date?”

“That’s the plan unless it got changed on me.”

“Are you her boyfriend?”

It took all his willpower to just not drop her on her head, but Desmond froze up anyway, hands still clamped over her ankles to keep her from falling.

“N-No!”

“Why not?”

“C-Cause you don’t need a boyfriend to go on a date. It’s fun to go as friends too!”

“Oh, okay” and she wiggled in place. “Desy I’m missin my shoooow.”

He set her down and Dana resumed her mindless consumption of cartoon violence via talking sponge, and Desmond took a seat down on the couch. He spent the next few minutes glancing between the TV and the hallway, waiting for Karen and Alex to appear. At least they weren’t in a huge hurry or anything, they really had all night to do whatever. He imagined that Alex was probably all ready, just working through the nerves to walk out and go.

And Desmond could sit here and wait all night if he had to, he wasn’t going to leave until Alex told him to (or the Parkers kicked him out, whatever came first). But eventually he heard a door creak and some voices, and then moments later, a younger version of Mrs. Parker appeared.

“Oh good you’re still here,” she smiled, and he recognized her voice, it was Karen. “Shit you’re a lot cuter than I thought you would be.”

Desmond blinked at her. What?

“Okay sit tight, let me drag Alex out here. You will noooot be disappointed!” and she disappeared back down the hall. Desmond hopped up to his feet, nervously straightening his clothes again as he waited. He could hear the voices again arguing from the down the hall, and there was a lot of reassurance from Karen, “Come no, you look fine, just let him see you, you’re gonna be okay.”

It felt like agony waiting, but oh, the wait so worth it. Desmond almost didn’t recognize her when she walked into the room. A knee length, short sleeved sandy brown dress with small white polka dots. Her messy hair, normally kept down, had been combed and put up into a large bun. Her lips were a soft pink, rosy blush on her cheeks, and he could see dark mascara behind her glasses, her blue eyes brighter than he had ever seen them.

Alex looked up at him shyly, clutching at her arms tucked under her visibly prominent chest. Desmond kept glancing her up and down, unable to comprehend that this was Alex Mercer, this was the girl he had been friends with for a few months now, the one who sat next to him at lunch and tried to correct his homework in her godawful chicken scratch.

“Weeeeeeell?” Karen prompted. “How are we feelin kiddos?”

“Pretty!” Dana screeched when she turned around to see her sister all dolled up, and she got to her feet and sped over to Alex to gaze up at her in awe. 

“Wow” Desmond breathed. “Just….wow.”

He could see Alex’s ears turn bright red.

“Good enough!” Karen declared. “Now don’t you two have a date or something to get to?”

The next couple minutes after that consisted of edging Alex to and out the door, and towards the car. Desmond and Karen had to sorta push-pull along. Desmond was beginning to think this was a bad idea, maybe they should just cancel so she could run back inside and put on something more comfortable for her. But somehow they got her out to the car, and inside the car, and buckled up while she still had the same shell shocked expression on her face.

“Okay you crazy kids, you two have fun tonight~” Karen said to them through the window of Desmond’s car. “Just try and be back before eleven, don’t get arrested, and Desmond?”

He looked over at her.

“Hurt Alex, and I hurt you okay?”

Desmond’s eyes widened.

“Okay, great! Now you two get out of here. Try and relax” and she gave Alex a quick peck on the cheek before bouncing back off towards her house.

Desmond started the engine and drove off, quickly glancing at Alex as they passed through the neighborhood. She hadn’t said anything at all, and she still stared forward unblinkingly.

“I can turn around if you want to,” Desmond offered. “We don’t have to go if you’re scared or anything.”

Alex’s jaw clenched, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. But she shook her head and leaned back in her seat. “I’m fine” she said quietly. “I’m okay.”

“If you change your mind, tell me, okay?”

“Just keep driving.”

 

x-X-X-x

 

Poli’s was a pretty low-key place that mostly truckers or college students tended to end up at. It was like an Italian fusion with something else and something else, and it somehow stayed in business despite its main demographic of customers. But it was a generally quiet place, and Desmond knew just about the entirety of the staff, so if he was going to bring a date here, it would be in more familiar waters.

Thankfully, it was Rosa manning the front desk when they walked in. She turned towards them with a cheery grin, ready to greet them when her smile dropped and she stared at Desmond with a look of panic. She relaxed a second later to roll her eyes as Desmond grinned devilishly at her.

“Stop that,” she told him as she grabbed menus. “I hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?” Desmond asked innocently.

“Stop looking like your brother, dammit.”

“Now that I can’t help~”

Rosa huffed and beckoned for them to follow her. Alex was looking up at him with a very confused look, as if she had just missed something and couldn’t quite figure out what it was. “I’ll explain later” Desmond said to her, and he looped his arm around hers and they followed Rosa through the restaurant. Along the way to their table, they passed a waitress that almost had the same reaction towards Desmond, but relaxed a lot sooner and smiled at him as she passed.

“Hi Desmond!” she said to him cheerily.

“Hi Cristina!” Desmond said back to her. And once she was out of earshot, Desmond leaned forward and whispered to Rosa, “So Ezio had her over the other day.”

“Noooo” Rosa whispered in surprise. “Oh no, they didn’t do it, did they?”

“Maybe, didn’t exactly stick around to find out, but she definitely came over for a purpose.”

Rosa just shook her head and sighed. She showed them to their table and handed them their menus once they took their seats.

“Well can I get you kids anything to drink to start off with? And it has to be soda or water, okay?” Rosa said to them, giving Desmond a hard stare. Desmond smiled and batted his eyes at her. “Right then, Dr. Pepper and-“ Rosa turned to look at Alex, who looked more like a startled dear, and Rosa simply continued on with, “Coke, got it. Sit tight kiddos.”

And then she was gone.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Their date was awkward at best, yet Desmond still found it rather thrilling. Alex didn’t say much, spending most of their dinner staring down at the table, or off to the side, and just pretty much anywhere but him. She glanced more at the other patrons of the restaurant than she did him, but Desmond was following her lead in that department. No one looked at them, or came up to them, or even so much as acknowledged they were there in the first place. It was like they were completely invisible, just as they should be.

It surprised them when after all was said and done, Rosa brought them their check alongside a chocolate lava cake.

“Desert’s on your brother’s tab,” Rosa winked at Desmond. “Hope you kids liked your date, you’re both adorable, you know that?”

And they had blushed in equal amounts of embarrassment, but Desmond payed for the meal, and the two were out of there before Rosa could gush over them some more. The least Desmond could do at that point was end their date quietly, and he drove Alex just outside of town to one of various scenic points that faced looked out over everything.

So they ended up sitting on the tailgate of Desmond’s truck, the cake between them as they idly stabbed at it with their forks and took bites. The cake was half gone when Desmond cleared his throat and said, “So I wanna apologize to you.”

Alex blinked up at him. “Oh?” she asked.

“Yeah uh…I’m sorry for dragging you out to dinner.”

“You don’t need to apologize?”

“But you had a miserable time!”

“Did I though?”

It was Desmond’s turn to give her a confused look.

“But you were so tense! You looked like a trapped coyote ready to gnaw your arm off to escape.”

“Oh,” and Alex rolled her eyes in thought, bottom lip puffing out. “Well that sounds about right, but it didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.”

“So it was okay?”

“Well…yeah! I mean, the food was good, it wasn’t too crowded, Rosa was a doll, we got free desert, and I’ve never seen you better dressed in the whole couple months I’ve known you. Also, I didn’t have to go to prom. I’d say tonight was a major win. Did you honestly think I had an awful time?”

Desmond responded by flapping his mouth open and close like a fish out water as his face reddened in embarrassment. “Kinda?” he eventually managed to squeak out.

“Stop thinking that then, I really enjoyed myself, and that’s saying something. I don’t really like dates as it is. Okay well, like the typical sort of dates you see on TV. You know, the movies, or dinner, or ice skating or some bullshit, yeah no, not into that stuff. Karen thinks those are the epitomes of romance, but I really beg to differ” Alex smirked at the end, picking at the cake again and popping a small bite into her mouth.

“So what do you like then?” Desmond asked.

Alex chewed thoughtfully for a few moments.

“Mmmmm,” she hummed. “….My favorite dates with Karen are…When it’s a rainy day, and we’re Downtown, and we can hit up all the museums, and hardly anyone is there. Driving down there’s a bitch and all, but once you’re in…It’s just the best. Or if you go on the right day, and the Science Center is empty, you can go touch everything and it’s just so wonderful-“

Desmond listened intently, watched as the stars seem to twinkle in her eyes, studied the faraway look on her face, hear utter adoration in her voice.

“And then going to the aquarium on the same day as some dumb sports game, god the employees there just get so happy to see you. And it feels like the animals are even more lively because it’s just you and the other person to see them, and they don’t wanna disappoint you. Like, does that make sense?”

“Sure it does. What else?”

“Sneaking out at midnight to drive down to the beach. It’s only thirty minutes normally from here, but it’s even faster later at night with no cards on the road. Just park across the street at the supermarket, and you can jaywalk across PCH no problem. Then you got the whoooole beach to yourself to do whatever. I really recommend it, it seems like some wild thing you and your friends would be into.”

“Kinda yeah, alright, okay. But can I say that seems really unlike you? You, Miss Straight A Student with near perfect attendance and a baby sister at home. How do you sleep at night?”

“Eaaasy,” Alex giggled. “All my sins lull me to sleep, and I have nothing but blissful dreams.”

They both erupted into full laughter. And that felt more natural, just the two of them hanging around, telling wild stories to one another. Just them, no one else to stare or judge them, free to be themselves without worry. Desmond felt like he understood why Alex preferred these kinds of dates over more traditional ones. They eventually calmed down some, enough to stifle giggles and snickers as they polished off of the cake and tossed the carton behind them.

It got quiet between them, but that was fine. They stared out at the town below them, small lights flickering on in the distance the sun disappeared over the horizon, leaving traces of purple just barely visible beyond the mountains. It was really nice.

“…Hey Alex?”

“Hm?”

“You look great. Like really great. You’re really super pretty, and I want you to know that.”

“….Thank you Desmond. That really means a lot to me.”

“Can I ask you something kinda personal though?”

“What’s that?”

“How’d you make your boobs?”

“Oh!”

Alex turned towards him and cupped under her “breasts”.

“You know those mini basketballs you can get at the Nike store?”

Desmond nodded.

“Okay so, we just cut one in half, then made like, triangles out of them? We saw it on the internet, and decided to try it out. Basically what you do is make some boobie kinda shapes out of the pieces, and then you put in a bra, you know, make it a cup. So we just cut an old bra up Karen’s mom so graciously donated to me, and put the pieces in that. It’s supposed to be way more elaborate and shit, so consider this a prototype model until I can get some forms to put on instead.”

At the end of her explanation, Alex tapped on one of her breasts, and Desmond could hear something harder being hit.

“Ohhh…That’s really fucking smart!” Desmond exclaimed. “Well for that being a floor model, it really got the job done, I couldn’t figure out how ya did it!”

“I know right? And then we just had to pad it up it wouldn’t be totally flat against me. So you know, if it works, it works,” she shrugged. The big smile that had formed on Alex’s face dropped a little before it turned into a round “o” shape, and her eyes widened. “You thought my breasts looked real?”

“Yes?” Desmond said. “I mean, I was honestly shocked when you walked out with a chest and I couldn’t figure out how you did that. Unless you had boobs the entire time and you didn’t tell me, cause I’m no expert on biology, but I don’t think B cups grow in overnight. So yeah, you had me thrown for a loop there.”

Alex didn’t say anything, just kept staring at him instead with the happiest, brightest smile on her face he had ever seen. She looked like she just got the news that she had won the lottery and the Nobel peace prize at the same time. Her hands moved up on her chest to fully cup her makeshift breasts, and clenched.

It took Desmond a bit to fully realize what kind of impact his words had on her. He had basically just told her that her chest looked amazing and they were convincing enough to make someone thing they were her real breasts. Actual bouncy breasts. It was the happiest, most relieved expression Desmond had ever seen on someone.

Desmond couldn’t help but smile in return.

 

x-X-X-x

 

Their “traditional” date ended the way most did. Desmond dropped Alex off back at Karen’s house and walked her up to the front door. Before Alex went inside though, Desmond pulled out his phone, opened up the camera, and took with a selfie with her all dolled up. it was the perfect picture to end a great night. When everyone else woke up tomorrow to post their Prom pictures, they were going to see that picture on their walls with the caption, “Best date ever with the prettiest girl in the world :) “.

“We should do something like this again sometime,” Desmond offered. “Whatever you wanna do, whenever you want to.”

“I’lll think about it,” Alex said, rocking back on her heels. “Maybe put together a better bra before we do.”

“What’s wrong with the one you have on now?” Desmond quirked a brow at her.

“It could be better,” Alex smirked. “Go big or go home.”

They shared another laugh, exchanged a last hug, and bid each other a good night. Alex went inside, and Desmond strolled back to his car.

He had to get home, there was a picture waiting on his phone to be plastered all over social media.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was Alex's dress picked out for me by bossykiwi; http://productshots3.modcloth.net/productshots/0122/3468/928ff7ccce01bd844ea362ca5118fcef.jpg?1353019287


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roars from the abyss about how you lovely lil fucks missed me. Also roars about how it took me four different tries to write this one chapter you're all welcome.
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter contains mentions of slurs and minor misgendering.

From the depths of her closet she pulled it out. The one nice top she owned, the one top she ever had the confidence to buy herself. Just a shirt she had gotten from the Goodwill, the only place she dared to look for these clothes cause it’s the only place where the cashiers didn’t blink too much at her purchases…

It was just a long, sleeveless, red with black stripes top that…Really wasn’t all _that_ girly, but it was casual enough for her to feel comfortable with, and Alex had been so proud of herself for buying it. After pulling it out from its dark prison, she hugged it close to her chest, already feeling so powerful just from holding it. She didn’t dare keep it with the rest of her wardrobe, couldn’t chance having it in her dresser or possibly throwing it in the wash with everything else. If anyone other than Karen knew she had this…Well Alex didn’t know what would happen, but it frightened her all the same.

Mainly, she was afraid if her _mother_ saw it, well, that would be the end of the shirt. It’d be ripped away from her and she’d never see it again. Maybe shredded and trash, but not in a state that was wearable. Hell, Alex only dared pull it out now because her “dear” mother wasn’t home. Hadn’t been in a week now. In a perfect world, she’d never come back, but Alex knew her time was limited before that heathen finally stumbled in through the door to reignite her reign of terror.

But maybe that was also why Alex had seriously reconsidered going out with Desmond the other night. Maybe it had instilled a sense of peace and confidence, enough that she dared to actually live for once and enjoy a night out with one of her favorite people in the world. It had been worth it after all. Worth it the moment she walked out and saw Desmond’s face, the way he looked at her that whole night like he was seeing her for the first time all over again…

That was why she pulled out this shirt now. She wanted to see that again. She wanted him to look at her like that again. She yearned for it, craved it, desired it. She _needed_ it. She needed Desmond Miles to look at her like she was the most beautiful, perfect person in the world again.

Her hands shook horribly as she pulled the shirt on snuggly over her, smoothed it down as it clung to her form. She even posed in the mirror just to make sure it looked right, and it looked the best it could on her thin frame. Maybe not the kind of curves she wanted, not natural curves, but it was going to have to work. Her hair went next, combed out and pulled into a bouncy ponytail.

Make-up though.

Alex slipped into her mother’s bathroom, stared down at the vanity, fingers twitching as she glanced over lipstick and eye shadow and blush chaotically scattered around. She had this near overwhelming fear that if she dared to touch anything, if any one thing was out of place, her mother would just _know_. That Jolene Mercer would sense that her belongings were out being touched, and she’d suddenly materialize into the room and beat Alex senseless.

On second thought, make-up was probably a little too obvious anyway, and she had already done enough. Frightened into assurance, Alex scurried out and retreated back to her own room. Make-up was going to take too long anyway. She ran to her room, grabbed her backpack, and headed downstairs to make some semblance of a breakfast for herself. Dana was already munching on some cereal, snorting and chewing loudly as she did.

“Eat like a human, not a dog, Dana,” Alex said firmly as she walked past to rummage around in the kitchen for a pan.

“Whuff!” Dana shouted back at her and continued to noisily eat, only pausing to giggle loudly when she heard Alex’s loud sigh.

Six year olds. Honestly, what could she do?

**x-X-X-x**

Breakfast eaten, homework checked, purple Doc McStuffins backpack loaded, little yellow sneakers tied, pigtails perfectly secured….And Dana was finally all already for school. The better of the morning for the Mercer sisters was mainly getting Dana ready for school despite its relative closeness. Alex by now had mastered the art of being ready to go in less than twenty minutes, but the extra time was all devoted to Dana. 

It was usually a good enough distraction for Alex up until they were about to walk out the door. And Alex barely had her hand on the doorknob when anxiety and fear suddenly gripped her, and Dana watched in wide eyed curiosity as Alex suddenly jerked away from it as it she had been burned.

“Allie?” Dana asked.

“Yes baby?” Alex mumbled back, visibly shaking.

“We goin?”

“Uh-huh….”

She didn’t move though.

Alex had just…simply realized how naked she was, how exposed, how different she was dressed, even if it was just one shirt. She had been walking around the house in her shirt, had glanced down at her bare arms and rolled her eyes at how pale she was, maybe everyone was right and she needed some more sun…But the realization didn’t kick in until now. Cause she realized that she was about to walk out of her house in the shirt that she bought over a year ago and was wearing it for the first time and now…

And now…

She couldn’t do it. Make-up was too obvious? Hahaaaaa, nooooo, _this_ was too obvious. Way too painfully obvious. And her hair! Ugh, what had she been thinking? What was she doing? Maybe if one of her friends were here to walk alongside her for security, it would be okay. Not to say that she didn’t feel safe with Dana, but Dana couldn’t protect her the exact same way her friends could.

She didn’t want to go anymore. She was fooling herself again. There was just no way…

Alex jumped when Dana suddenly tugged at her hand, and gasped when her jacket was pushed into arms. She hadn’t noticed that Dana had even moved, had ran upstairs to get her jacket and present it to her. Alex’s fingers curled into it, and she glanced between it and her sister.

“You looked cold,” Dana said simply. “I know you don’t like leaving without it. It okay, I gots it for you.”

A few seconds later, Dana was giggling again as Alex knelt down to press kisses to the top of her head. Honestly, no one could ask for a better sister than her.

**x-X-X-x**

She left her up though. Even with her jacket on and zipped up to hide her shirt, the confidence slowly returned, and she was as ready as she could be for the day. And oh, ohhh she got some glances when she pulled up to the school bike racks, and her ponytail flopped out from her helmet. Alex reasoned with herself that lots of cis guys had long hair too, and they also put them up into ponytails and buns. But also more logically, she was a girl. Girls could have their hair anyway they wanted to. Didn’t need some cis guys to make it acceptable.

With shoulders squared and her face straight, Alex marched out of there to her locker, focusing only on the destination and not so much the people around her. Desmond was already at their lockers, shuffling books between his own and his bag, and Alex simply merely casually bumped him out of the way to work at the lock of hers.

“Uuuhhhnnn,” Desmond whined. “Gaaawwd, good morning to you toooo.”

“Yeah asswipe, move it,” Alex sneered without looking up at him, getting her lock open and swinging open the locker door.

“Why you gotta be so mean to meeeee?”

“Cause it’s fun, duh.”

She turned her sneer to him, and he looked at her with a fake, hurt puppy dog pout. A pout that lasted a mere second before it dissolved away….And victory gripped her as he looked at her _that_ way again. Butterflies erupted inside her and fluttered around as his traveled over her, her hair, then to her face, and God, he was so flabbergasted and awed and so goddamn in love with her, she just knew it. Alex turned away with a flip of her hair, transferred her books, then slammed her locker shut and walked off. 

“Later loserrr~” she called over her shoulder at him and went on her way to class. It felt more like she floated to class with Desmond’s dumbstruck face perfectly burned into her mind. She didn’t think she’d be able to wow him that soon, especially since their date was only three nights ago, but this is what she came to accomplish, and oh hell yes, she nailed it.

First period and she sat down at her desk, pulled out notebooks and pencils, too lost in her own victory to even pay attention to some of the looks her classmates gave her, but she was in _no_ mood for all of that today.

And then-

Just out of the blue-

The last thing she expected-

One of her classmates-

Jenny? Jessica? Britney?

Suddenly said to her, “Oh Alex!”

And when Alex looked up, she continued on and said, “I love your hair today! You should do that more often!”

The compliment took an eternity for Alex to register, but when it did, she blinked and blushed, and stuttered out a shaky, “Th-thanks.”

JennyJessicaBritney? smiled back and turned to a friend to chatter at her, and Alex stared down at her desk in utter shock. She…had kinda expected that, if anyone would say something to her about her appearance today, it was mainly going to be her usual group of terrorizers. Words she expected to hear today were “pussy”, and “faggot”, and “fuckin homo”.

But definitely not a compliment.

It really didn’t help matters either much later in the middle of class, when they were neck deep in some work, and Alex heard some whispers drift over from that same girl and her friends, especially the one comment of-

_”I didn’t know he had cheekbones like that! And his hair is way prettier like that, can you believe it?”_

Suddenly the look Desmond gave her that morning didn’t seem as important as other girls casually talking about her in a positive tone.

**x-X-X-x**

By the time lunch rolled around, Alex was practically glowing. All day long, it had just been some small comment, to her face and not. And while they weren’t worded the exact same way, Alex still got the feeling that a lot of her fellow female classmates had _no_ idea she was so…attractive? She heard comments on her hair, her cheekbones, and at some point when she took her glasses off to clean the lenses, her eyes…

And sure, the usual batch of idiots she expected to insult her did, but those were crushed by the positivity she had been getting against it. Was she being misgendered all day? Fuck yeah she was, and it still hurt. But were those still some of the nicest things anyone had said about her regardless? Oh fuuuck yeah. It was the weird, double edged sword of being recognized, but not recognized in the way she wanted, but somehow she impressed more than just one person and it was a weird good feeling?

Of course, the moment she approached the lunch table, Rebecca squealed loudly and jumped to gush over her.

“Ohmygod it’s truuuuue!” Rebecca cried as she bounced around Alex. “Why don’t you do this more often?? Ohhhmygod, you’re sooo pretty, it’s not faaaair!”

“Sorry?” Alex said. “I mean, it was totally on purpose but not at the same time?”

“No, you totally planned this like the evil mastermind you are,” Rebecca insisted as they sat down. “Next thing we know, you’re gonna take over the whole school with how goddamn gorgeous you are.”

“Oh yeah, you think that now? Desmond! Show her the picture.”

Desmond’s gaze snapped up to her, his sandwich half in his mouth. His eyes narrowed at her, not sure what she meant before he realized what she wanted, and he picked up his phone to look for it.

“Hurr,” he mumbled around his sandwich as he handed his phone to Rebecca.

“Oh I wanna see!” Clay jumped to look over Rebecca’s shoulder, and Lucy did the same. All three stared down at Desmond’s phone, then up at Alex, then back at the phone. Alex stayed put at Desmond’s side, looking as smug as she possibly could in that moment.

“You guys went on a date and didn’t tell us?” Rebecca whispered harshly as she glared at them.

“Surprise,” Alex replied back.

“Well, I knew,” Lucy said. “I just wanted to see the picture again. You too should really get on Instagram more often.

Clay laughed loudly as he sat down, and Rebecca pouted as she gave Desmond his phone back.

“A conspiracy I tell you,” she mumbled and sat down as well.

**x-X-X-x**

“Is it bad I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you?” Desmond asked her over the phone later that night. Alex had been incredibly worried when he had said so little to her that day during school, especially afterwards when he walked her to the bike racks. But hours later, he called while Alex was hunched over her homework, and she had the phone cradled between her ear and her neck with her shoulder. His question caught her off guard, but made the butterflies in her stomach start fluttering all over again.

“Today?” Alex asked back.

“All weekend,” Desmond clarified. “And then today…I just…You really surprised me you know? I wish you did that more often….”

“I mean, I couuuld,” Alex said. “It was…It actually wasn’t that bad. I think I made a lot of girls upset that they all know we’re totally gay for each other, otherwise I’m sure I would have some marriage proposals.”

Desmond laughed at that, and Alex couldn’t keep herself from grinning.

“Not that they’re wroooong though,” Alex continued. “But it just felt nice you know?”

“Girls be girls. Gals being pals,” Desmond replied.

“See, you get it. I knew you would.”

“But you know, they ever be dicks to you too, just tell Becca or Lucy, they’ll fuck ‘em up for ya.”

“I’m not scared of a couple girls, Desmond. And I’m not gonna sick anyone on anybody of the feminine inclined.”

“But the masculine inclined is totally okay?”

“What, you don’t like being my knight in shining armor?”

“I didn’t say that! I’m just saying, if you need me to beat some dudes up that are harassing you again, I’m there!”

“So that’s a yeeeeees?”

“Yes it’s a yeeees.”

Alex covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. She loved him, plain and simple. She picture him sitting there, probably just as red in the face as her, struggling to be perfect and cool and the best person ever (which he was but she wasn’t going to fuel his ego even more in that moment). But ohhh he was just too wonderful for her, and she did love it when he reminded her of that.

“You knoooow, Des, I wore a shirt today too.”

“You mean you wear actual clothes under that jacket of yours?”

“Yes, I’m completely naked without it. Noooo, I wore a special shirt today.”

“How special?”

“A shirt of my own. A real shirt that I bought.”

“Oh shit. How come I didn’t get to see it?”

“Well you were going to but I just….I dunno I chickened out.”

“Bummer. I bet you look great in it.”

“I like to think so…”

“….Well you knooow, school’s almost over.”

Alex glanced over her homework, which was mainly study guides for the next couple weeks of prepping for finals. So yeah, she knew.

“And it’s been getting sooooo much hotter lately. Definitely not jacket weather…”

“You underestimate me.”

“I’m just saaaaying. So you know if you like….Need a safe place to come cool down…..You know I have a pool.”

“I’m extremely aware.”

“So if you happen to get a new bathing suit, and you wanna break it iiiiiin ahhhhhmmm, you knooooooooow…”

“Desmond Miles, are you trying to peep at me? Is that what you’re saying?”

She heard a squawk and the clattering of the phone dropping on the other hand. Alex laughed evilly herself.

“That’s not what I meant!” she heard Desmond screech from afar. “Don’t say thaaaaaaat!”

“Peeeeping Toooom!” Alex crooned, and Desmond sobbed loudly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DING DING DING DING! Fanart? FANART! WE GOT FANART PEOPLE!!!! Big thanks to tumblr user trashy-shipper for the aaaadorable piece here, I love it, pls check out the rest of trashy-shipper's blog and art blog! http://trashy-shipper.tumblr.com/post/140645742982/ive-read-most-beautiful-princess-sometime-back
> 
> anyway, TWs for this chapter: misgendering, slurs, and some downright depressing thoughts. have "fun" meeting the momster.

“What am I gonna do without you?”

Desmond seemed to pause before he answered her.

“I’ll be back in a few weeks.”

“A few weeks too long,” Alex whined. “My life is empty and meaningless without you.”

“You’ll find a way to keep yourself entertained,” Desmond reassured. “I mean, you have other friends besides me.”

Alex gave him an offended look. Not that he was wrong, but he didn’t seem to understaaaand.

“I know but they’re not you.”

“You’ll live.”

“Desmond noooooo, you don’t get iiiit.”

She draped herself over his lap, one hand falling over her chest, the other reaching up to caress his chin. “I just need youuuu. Stay home with meeee.”

“I caaaan’t,” Desmond stressed, gently taking her hand to run his thumb over her fingers. “It’s gonna be okaaaay. I’ll call you.”

“Will you though? Will you call me everyday?” Alex asked, batting her eyes at him.

“If you really need me to,” Desmond nodded. Alex’s other hand lifted up from her chest to face parallel to her forehead.

“Thank god,” she murmured. “I’ll take your voice, at the very least. I don’t ever wanna forget what it sounds like.”

“Holy shit stop being dramatic.”

“I’m not being dramatic, this is completely normal.”

“Okay, more dramatic than usual.”

“No…No I’m fine.”

“See how fine you are after this!”

“Desmond- NOOOO!”

She screeched loudly as Desmond rolled her off his lap and she fell right into the pool. In hindsight, maybe trying to lie across him while sitting on the edge of his pool wasn’t such a good idea. Especially opening her mouth to scream right as she plunged into said pool, and came up a moment later to spit water out from her lungs.

Desmond laughed, and from the other end of the pool, Dana laughed from where she was putting around with a kick board. Thankfully they had been sitting in the shallow end, and Alex had no trouble finding her footing and standing straight up, gasping, coughing, appalled that Desmond would dare do this to her!

She wiped the water away from her face to glare up at Desmond, that silly boy who clutched at his sides as he howled with laughter. Her glare quickly softened, and a wicked grin crossed her lips as she watched a figure sneak up behind Desmond, and she laughed instead when Desmond was pushed into the water with her.

“AHH!” Desmond cried as he splashed in, and Dana laughed, and Ezio laughed from where he stood triumphantly above them.

“That’s what you get, brother,” Ezio sneered as Desmond surfaced. “What have I told ya about treating girls right?”

“Fuck you Ezio!” Desmond coughed. Ezio shrugged, clearly pleased with his handiwork, and he started to walk away back inside from where he was watching them all to begin with.

“Thanks Eziioooooooo!” Alex called after him.

“You ever need me, chica bonita, I got your baaaack~” Ezio yelled back over his shoulder.

Alex only smiled for a few seconds before Desmond bodily tackled her under the water, and the fight between them was on.

**x-X-X-x**

Alex had the WORST time trying to fall asleep that night. She tossed and turned in her bed, wishing, wanting, aching to call Desmond. But he had to get up pretty early himself, catch that plane with his family to South Dakota (honestly, who would want to go back there after leaving, the way Desmond described it, it was the middle of buttfuck no where with nothing to do but nooo they always went back every summer anyway).

And she couldn’t help but think about she would have nothing to do between now and when he returned. The first week of summer had been spent at his house practically every waking moment. Swimming, and watching movies and playing games on his giant projector in the living room. And then one day they baked brownies, and then that night he pulled out the barbecue and showed her how it was done.

And Mrs. Miles was just the most delightful and pleasant woman Alex had ever met. She just adored her, and Mrs. Miles adored her and Dana back. It was just so refreshing to have someone like her around, and someone that Dana could look up to positively. And yeah, suuuure, Mr. Miles gave Alex some weird looks, but he was still cordial towards her. At least Ezio loved them, when he was home, thought they were a blast, or at least, he loved entertaining Dana with his crazy antics. It was just…nice being around them anyway. Nice being somewhere where they were actually welcomed.

It felt like, for once, they had a normal life with a normal family to integrate themselves into…

But they were leaving, even just for the rest of the month. And Alex felt like the one good thing she and Dana had in their lives had slipped away from them, however temporarily. She supposed she’d figure out what to do in the morning, maybe make plans with those actual other friends of hers. Maybe Becca wouldn’t be busy, or Karen. Yeah…Just maybe…

Right when she was about to fully drift to sleep, right when her brain was finally shutting down and her body relaxed, BAM went the front door of the house. Alex jerked back into full alertness, heart leaping up into her throat. No….no God no, please, no, don’t let it be here, don’t let it be here, please please please-

“OHHHHH KIDDDDDOOOOOS! MAMA’S HOOOOOME!”

Fuck. Fucking fuckity fuck fests.

Against all better judgement, Alex groaned and rolled out of bed. Even with Jolene making a racket downstairs, instinct still kicked in, and she carefully crept to the door and slowly eased it open. The second floor was still shrouded in darkness, the lights from downstairs fighting their way up from the stairwell. Alex looked from the stairs, to the door of her sister’s room where Dana always was, peeking out from the tiniest crack she could manage.

“Allie?” Dana softly called out, the fear evident in her tiny voice.

“Go back to bed, baby,” Alex soothed. “I won’t let her bother you, I promise.”

Dana nodded and closed her door as Alex faced the stairs again and headed down. She found their mother rummaging around in the kitchen, head in the fridge that she popped out from and slammed the fridge door closed when Alex walked in.

“Why’s there no fucking food in this house?!” she cried. “What are you doing, starving or something?”

“We have some food, I just haven’t made it,” Alex mumbled. “Still waiting on this week’s check to go shopping….”

“Oh,” Jolene said. “Ha, well shit, I got you covered there! Check it ouuuuut.”

Jolene opened up her purse and pulled out a stack of cash, waving it front of Alex’s face.

“Mama got paaaaa-aaaaayed~” she sang. “So buy me some of the goood stuff. You know I love them Lean Cuisines, I gotta watch my weight after all.”

“Where’d you get money?” Alex asked. And how had she acquired it, and how much did she have, and God, what did she do?

“Work,” Jolene replied smugly. “Not that you’d know a damn thing about that.”

Alex scowled. Yeah, real great seeing mother dearest again.

“Here kid, for the grocery bill. Think I got enough to make us last, I missed going out, you know?”

Jolene shoved the cash into Alex’s hands, then flounced passed her. Alex’s teeth ground together as she clenched the stack tightly, already feeling the deep reserves of rage flooding into her system. Sometimes she couldn’t figure out what made her the angriest; the fact that Jolene made it a point to lord over her children, or that she even bothered to come home at all.

Alex forced herself to move, shut off the lights, lock the door, go back to bed.

“Hey,” Jolene called out to her from her bedroom when Alex made it to the top of the stairs. “Your faggot ass didn’t touch any of my clothes, did it?”

“No, because unlike you, I’m not interested in looking like a garbage shit stain.” Alex growled back. “Which, by the way, is a pain to wash out in the laundry. Not that you’d know anything about that.”

Her mother appeared in the bedroom doorway, and they locked eyes, blue hues brimming with mutual fury and disgust. Alex’s heart started to race, and tremble ran through her body. She hated her. She hated Jolene so much. Every fiber of her being burned from the passionate hatred she felt for the woman that dared called herself her “mother”.

Jolene moved, and Alex tensed up, ready for the oncoming assault…But instead, Jolene slammed her door closed, and she loudly grumbled about not wanting to deal with this shit tonight, not this one at least.

Alex’s shoulder slumped, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Immediately drained, Alex dragged herself into her own room, softly closing the door behind her, and made the final leg to bed, the money dropped somewhere along the way. She all but melted back into place under the covers, and let out a series of shaky sighs and whimpers, desperately trying to hold back the start of sobs.

**x-X-X-x**

Every day, Alex felt like she lived with this sickening feeling of being trapped. The feeling that she couldn’t go anywhere, that she was stuck and was doomed to be there forever. To be in this house, to live with that vile woman, to be suffocated and dragged down, to be chained in place where she stood. And Alex felt like there wasn’t a goddamn thing she could do about it.

Some days, it felt like the only thing that kept her going was Dana. To make sure that Dana was being taken care of, that she was happy, and had someplace safe to live. That she had someone to love her. Sometimes it felt like Dana was the only one who just accepted Alex without question or doubt. Alex often wondered what Dana really saw her as, sister or mother?

Cause it was Alex to had to take care of her. Who was handed an infant and told, “This is Dana, she’s your problem now”. Who had to sacrifice sleep and days of school to feed and change a baby, and teach her to talk, and walk, and the ABCs, and to ride a bike, and how to dress herself, and how to use the toilet and-

Alex did everything for Dana. So much of her childhood and early adolescence wrapped up in taking of the baby sister that she never asked for, but got anyway, and devoted her whole life to. But Alex loved her. Alex felt like Dana was the only person she ever truly, unabashedly loved. Cause it was hard and damaging to her for sure. But the way Dana lit up when she looked at Alex, the way she talked about her as if Alex was the greatest and most wonderful person who ever existed and no one else could possibly compare-

That’s what Alex lived for.

Finding other reasons to do so were extremely difficult. Especially when she was around someone like Jolene. Because even though Jolene was barely around, would simply abandon them to fend for themselves for what would feel like lifetimes, she sure made up for it during the small time she was home. And she made up for it by treating Alex like absolute dog shit. Like she wasn’t her child, but her servant and punching bag.

And it wasn’t that Alex couldn’t do anything about it, because she could, she really could. It would only take one phone call, and blamo, Jolene would be out of her life again forever.

But then that mean Dana would be gone too. That was the one thing she couldn’t let happen. Alex didn’t know what she’d do if she lost Dana. Losing her would mean losing her whole reason for existing. Which was an admittedly terrible thing to consider, as if her actual others friends held no grounds, and that Alex wouldn’t hesitate to cut them off because she just couldn’t handle being here on this plane of existence.

Even with Karen…

Even with Desmond…

Was it all really worth it?

**x-X-X-x**

The first time the phone rang days later, Alex knew without even having to answer that was it Desmond. He was really the only person who called these days, sans the occasional telemarketer, or some sketchy voice asking if Jolene was around. But no, it was Desmond, it had to be Desmond. The laundry in Alex’s had dropped to the floor as she raced across the house to the phone, excitement bubbling up into her chest and relief pouring in.

She stopped dead when she saw Jolene with the phone in hand instead.

“Hello?” Jolene asked in confusion. “….Do I fucking sound like him to you? ….Her, what the fuck ever, what do you want, kid? …..Yeah sure, he’s right here.”

Jolene tossed her the phone and Alex caught it wordlessly. She immediately turned tail and fled back to the laundry room, trying to ignore the disgusted look on her mother’s face as she did.

“Desmond?!” Alex nearly shouted into the receiver once she was safely away in solitude.

“For the record, I know exactly how you sound, I was just like…Confused?” Desmond said, and Alex sunk down to the floor with a soft, yet relieved chuckle. “Who was that?”

“That’s uhm…That’s my mom,” Alex smiled weekly.

“Oh…..She uh…She sounds uh….Sounds like something.”

“It’s okay, I know the word you’re looking for is bitch.”

“Whooooah, hey you said it, nooooot me.”

They both laughed. It felt SO GOOD to hear his voice again. Alex knew she missed it, but didn’t realize she missed that much. It felt like the stress of the past few days was already lifting off her shoulders, and she could stand upright just a little bit easier.

“I miss you,” Alex confessed. “I miss you so much goddammit.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner,” Desmond sighed. “We’ve just been so damn busy, and like, I forget how big my family is sometimes? And it’s just been nonstop shit and I just didn’t have time until today to call and ugghghgh I’m sorry Alex!”

“It’s okaaaaay,” Alex assured. “You’re calling now, and really it’s all I needed.”

“Are you sure though? You sound…stressed. Has everything been okay?”

God bless that boy. Not that Alex was trying to hide anything from him, but she didn’t even have to say it, he just knew.

“Fuck no it hasn’t been. You left, and my mom came home, and my life has been living hell since. And Karen’s been soooo busy, getting in community service hours now so she doesn’t have to worry about it later. But it just suuuucks, you know?”

“I feel ya. Have you tried talking to anyone else?”

“I-….No, not really….I’ve been kinda like…Too depressed to do anything other than just chores….I mean, I went grocery shopping the other day. for the first time. In weeks. It was the most satisfying thing I could have done this entire time…..”

Dead air buzzed between them before Desmond finally sighed.

“Please get out of the house, Alex. Like please please please go hang out with someone. Hell like, I even give you full permission to break into my backyard to use the pool. Just do soooomething, and get away from your mom if you’re so fucking miserable, okay?”

“Des-“

“OKAY?!”

Alex flinched, but slowly nodded and said, “Okay.”

“Cool, good….So how’s everything else been?”

“Alright, it’s been fine…What about you? Fuck what I haven’t been doing, what have youuu been up to?”

A welcome change in subject that Desmond happily ran away with. It was all Alex wanted and needed, just to listen to Desmond’s voice as she stuffed clothes into the washer, then the dryer, then back out to fold them. She honestly could listen to him all day, would record him on tape if she could, just to listen to it when she felt like dog shit again.

Eventually having to hang up was the most painful thing either of them could do. But that silly thing called time zones got in the way, and Desmond was being pulled away to dinner. At least he promised he’d call again tomorrow, told her to hang in there in the meantime. And if she really needed to, she could call him whenever, he’d answer no matter what.

Her sweet prince, her handsome protector, her guardian angel. Where would she be without him? Alex practically floated back through the house to set the phone down on its charger, comforted knowing she’d be picking it back up again tomorrow.

“Who was that?”

Alex whipped around to see Jolene standing there.

“Hm?”

“Who was the asshole on the phone, huh? What’d you do, find another fag like you to shack up with?”

Alex snorted.

“He’s just a friend some school, and believe me, he’s the straight guy I could know,” Alex rolled her eyes. “Don’t be jealous that even I can get a guy interested in me a hell of a lot easier than you can.

Jolene scowled, then wordlessly snarked at her before she stalked away.

Though, as much as Alex would like to “shack up” (in the purest and simplest form) with Desmond, she sure as _fuck_ wasn’t going to tell her mother that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now, the moment you've all been waiting well over a year for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for homophobic slurs and mentions of child abuse

There was nothing more comforting than seeing the hazy layer of smog that hung above Los Angeles. His plane was slowly making its descent into LAX. Desmond peered out the window with a tired, yet relieved grin. It felt SO GOOD back to be in California, almost back home, finally doooone wasting his summer up in Buttfuck Nowhere, South Dakota. Sure yeah okay, it was nice seeing the whole family again, his weird hippie dippie family. But that was only so much fun before he got tired of them, longed for the beach and his friends, and really that was more exciting that literally watching grass grow.

Coming back into the airport was an agonizingly long process. And then getting off the plane was just as bad. Then luggage, and getting their car, and driving back home through L.A traffic, and holy shit Desmond could scream. His parents even made the mistake of stopping by an In-N-Out for lunch, and yes while it was great to eat some good ‘ol Cali burgers again, he just really reaaaally wanted to get home. Sometime between wolfing down a double-double animal style and pulling into their driveway, Desmond had passed back out.

He jolted awake once the car was turned off, and he was suddenly ablaze with energy. He practically fell out of the car with his suitcase, his mother screaming at him to _calm to the hell down_. But he couldn’t. Impossible. Had to go, get going, there was someone waiting on him! And as soon as the front door was open, Desmond shot off like a rocket upstairs to his room, dumped his suitcase on the floor, grabbed his car keys and bolted back downstairs.

“ _Hijo_ , where are you going?!” his mother, Nadia called after him. “You just got home, sit down!”

“Gotta go see Alex, I’ll be back later!” Desmond shouted back as he busted back out through the front door and to his car. He practically tore a hole in the space-time continuum with how fast he sped out of the driveway and headed across town. He was a man on a mission, made a promise to a really cute girl that he intended to uphold.

_“As soon as I get home, I’ll come see you, first thing.”_

Well, he was home, and this was the first thing.

Except, there was something that Desmond hadn’t counted on.

There was a car in Alex’s driveway when he got there.

Like uhm, that was HIS parking spot???

Desmond felt so offended and insulted that he had to park on the curb like everyone else. Desmond tumbled out of his truck after parking and sprinted to the door. He did the classic, knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-ding dong! Almost immediately he could hear an outraged howl from the other side, and then the sound of running feet against hardwood. Oh, no, what had he done? What had he done?! Oh shit, shit, shit, shiiit-

The door swung open and his legs were tackled by the mighty fury of a seven year old.

“DESMOND!” Dana screeched as she clung onto him. “DESMOND YOU’RE HOME!”

“Kiddo!” Desmond cried back, reaching down to pry her off his legs and hoist her up so she could sit comfortably at his waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she buried her face into his shoulder, babbling excitedly about his return. Desmond laughed as he hugged back, but not without groaning about how she was getting big, she needed to slow down and not grow up so fast.

And then he saw her standing a few feet from him. Dark hair in loose curls, held up by a messy half-bun. Dark circles around startling blue eyes, a thin face with grimace across her lips. Her make-up was put on haphazardly, practically smudged, probably the same make-up she put on the night before then slept in. Overall, she looked washed up, burnt out, the poster child for anti-drug posters, is this what you want YOUR child to look like one day?

“Who the FUCK are you?!” the woman practically growled at him, and Desmond recognized her voice was the one from over the phone last week. Welllllll, fuck him in the ass. Dana whimpered in his arms, and he couldn’t help but just told her a little more tightly.

“A-Alex’s friend,” Desmond said. “Nice to meet you in person…Mrs. Mercer.”

Her eyes narrowed even more at him, and Desmond gulped. This was definitely not how he intended to meet Jolene Mercer, especially not today of all times.

And then his saving grace came flying in, rushing down the stairs in all her beauty, hair up in a far more elegant ponytail, glasses gone from her face as her own blue eyes lit up at the sight of him. Desmond couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her.

“This is your fuck buddy?” Jolene snarled at Alex as she rushed in. “You let him in here?”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Alex spat. “He’s fine, don’t worry about him. Desmond, come on, don’t bother with her ass.”

“You piece of shit,” Jolene hissed, but she started to stalk away regardless. “JUST NO FUCKING IN THE HOUSE, I DON’T WANNA HEAR YOUR FAGGOT ASSES DOING ANYTHING!”

Desmond was left speechless as he carried Dana over and up the stairs back after Alex. He set Dana down once they were safely on the second floor.

“I didn’t mean to get you in trouble,” Dana sniffled. Her face already looked red and puffy like she was fighting back tears.

“No baby, it’s okay,” Alex soothed, immediately going into mom mode. “He’s happy to see you too, right Desmond?”

“Life wasn’t the same without ya,” Desmond smiled reassuringly as he ruffled Dana’s hair. “You been a good girl for sissy while I was gone, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dana nodded as she loudly, grossly sucked up all the snot in her nose. “We missed you a lots.”

“Well don’t worry kid, I’m not gonna go anywhere anytime soon.” Desmond nodded, then glanced between her and Alex. “But I need to talk to your sis for a while, is that okay?”

“Yeah Dana, why don’t you go play in your room?” Alex suggested. “Don’t worry, Mommy won’t bother you, I promise.”

“Okay,” Dana nodded slowly, then shuffled off into her room. Alex took Desmond’s hand in the meantime and pulled him into her own room. As soon as the bedroom door was closed, it was Alex’s turn to be in his arms. Desmond could only hold her tight and close, a kiss already pressed to the top of her head. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, the air around them already emotionally charged.

Cause on one hand, Desmond was so happy to see her. So happy to hold her, to hear her, just to feel her. To have Alex just slotted back up against him, the perfect place for her to be, like she was always meant to be right there…

But on the other hand, he he was so fucking _angry_. Angry that he got to witness firsthand just the kind of life the Mercer sisters had, being trapped in this house with that _woman_. He was angry for Alex, that no matter where she went, there was always someone giving her shit, someone trying to tear her down. And to have it extend to Dana as well? He couldn’t imagine what it was like to be so young and yet fully understand how terrible it was that the only caretaker he could have in this world was shitty and terrible.

He wanted nothing more than to throw them in the back of his truck and drive them to his home, where there was a mother there who actually loved them and would take care of them.

“Can we sit down?” Desmond whispered. “Just for a lil bit, I’m still really tired…”

Alex nodded, and they broke apart long enough to plop down onto Alex’s bed before falling right back into each other.

“Did you just get home?” Alex asked him. “Like, today?”

“About half an hour ago, yeah” Desmond replied.

“And you came right here? Why?”

“Cause I promised. And I really missed you.”

Alex scoffed, and muttered something about what a dunderhead he was. Desmond chuckled anyway, really, what did she expect?

“Was your trip okay at least?”

“It was alright. Would have been better if you were there.”

“I mean, as promising as your nana’s blueberry pie sounded, I don’t think Dakota’s a very fun place to hang out.”

“Hoooly shit you have nooooo idea. Like thank gooddd my dad moved out of there when he did and came here to meet my mom. I don’t think I could handle my whole life living up there. It’s sooooo boriiiing.”

Alex giggled into his chest.

“Remind me to thank your pops later for doing at least one smart thing with his life. Well, two smart things. One for moving, and two for meeting your mom and making you.”

“On his behalf, you’re welcome.”

They lapsed into a more comfortable silence this time. Alex was perfectly nestled up against him, head on his shoulder with her arm spread out across his chest, her fingers making lazy circles against his collarbone. It was nice, and relaxing, and maybe a little toooo comforting. Cause one moment, they were lying there together just fine, the next, Desmond was snapped back into existence when his pocket buzzed loudly.

“Oh shit”, Desmond groaned as he tiredly pulled his phone out of his pocket. There was a text on his screen, it was from his mom, asking if he was coming home for dinner or not. But what really got him was the time, it was almost six, and Alex’s room was just a tad bit darker than he remembered. “Oh fuck, I’m sorry, I fell asleep.”

“It’s okay,” Alex laughed, still in the exact same spot. “I wasn’t gonna force you to stay awake.”

“But I came here to see you, and I slept instead,” Desmond frowned.

“It’s fine,” Alex assured, then reached up to kiss his cheek. “I appreciate you coming over anyway.”

Desmond smiled goofily as he texted his mom back, yes, he’d be home soon.

“You should come swimming tomorrow, Dana would love it,” he said.

“We’ll see, gotta make sure the momster won’t get in the way.”

Alex said it lightheartedly enough, but Desmond could tell she wasn’t happy about it.

“Why do you stay here with her?” Desmond blurted out. “I just met her and she’s fucking awful.”

“I-….I have to,” Alex replied quietly. “I can’t….I can’t leave Dana here.”

“Take her with you, don’t need to keep her here either.”

“You think I haven’t thought about that?” Alex grimaced. “Where would we go? Who would take us in before like, calling CPS? I can’t _lose_ her, Desmond. She’s all I have, and I’m all she knows. I don’t know what I’d do without her…”

He could feel Alex trembling against him. Like, he understood where she was coming from, what she meant. But he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving them both here with their less than a mother, not so he could go back to his own home with his relatively normal and nice, pleasant parents.

“I’ll take care of you,” Desmond suddenly declared. “Both of you.”

“Desmond what-“

“No no, just listen. Look I, fuck, okay, I know, okay? But if you ever need anything, ever need somewhere safe for Dana to go, you have my number, I’ll come pick her up. Both of you up. I won’t tell anyone, and I won’t ask questions. I’ll just be there when you need me, okay? Is that alright with you?”

Alex blinked at him, tears starting to stream down her cheeks.

“I just…holy fuck Alex, I dunno if you know, but I care about you. Like a lot. A lot a lot. You’ve become so goddamn important to me and I don’t want anything to happen to you, or your sister. I know you don’t like help, I know you don’t like the idea of weighing anyone down, but you’re not, not with me. I just wanna help you and make sure you’re okay, cause who else will if I don’t? Please Alex, can’t I just do that for you?”

His felt his own eyes start to sting as his chest started to ache. Alex wasn’t even looking at him anymore, her hand now firmly clamped over her mouth as the tears kept leaking out of the corner of her eyes. Goddammit, her crying was going to make him cry, and it was mainly a shitty place for Alex to be in because knew she didn’t like crying in front of other people. She didn’t like showing how vulnerable she was.

“Alex?” Desmond sniffed. Her hand inched away from her mouth, and she gulped big breaths of air before she said anything.

“Thank you,” she gasped, and threw herself across him in one big motion. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

And then-

Her face was right in front of his.

And she whispered-

“Thank you…I love you so much.”

Then she kissed him.

It wasn’t a deep kiss, just a kiss with her lips pressed firmly against his, and he may have pressed his lips back against hers just as firmly. And they held it there for who knows how long, but long enough for Desmond’s mother to text him again, asking where he was.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desmond tries to be a perfect almost-but-not-quite-a-boyfriend upon Karen's request to Alex.

‘Heeeeeeey Desolini~’

‘kare-beaaar! wuts goin on gurl??’

‘Nm, just wnted 2 kno the plans 4 this weekend’

“wat plans?’

‘For Alex’s b-day?????’

‘IT’S THIS WEEKEND WHAT’

‘Didnt she tell u?’

‘NO.’ ‘AW FUCK ME UHHHHHHHHH FUCK I’LL GET BACK 2 U ON THAT’

‘Dammit Desmond. Dammit Alex’

‘FUUUUUUUUCK’

**x-X-x-X-x**

Desmond covered his face and moaned into his hands, his game controller rumbling from where it was dropped. Didn’t care that he was getting his ass kicked in the game right now, had more important things to worry about. Like uhhh, Alex’s birthday? He had NO IDEA that her birthday was coming up, or that it was this month for that matter. Okay he didn’t know when her birthday was in general, but that was more on Alex. She hated being fussed over, so of course she wouldn’t tell him when something like was going to happen.

“Are you gonna play or what, man?” Ezio groused. “You’re gonna get spawn killed at this rate.”

“Take it,” Desmond huffed, and Ezio grabbed the controller in glee and started playing. “Hey bro, what do you do when one of your best friends is having a birthday soon that you didn’t plan for?”

“Start planning, duh,” Ezio rolled his eyes. “Which friend?”

“Alex.”

“D’aaaw, Des, my man, you gotta do something for her! Ain’t she your girl?”

“She’s not my girlfriend, Ezio….Not officially anyway, I don’t think….Yeah no we’re not dating.”

“But you’re kiiinda together, right?”

“Yeah…”

“So impress your lady! Give her a big birthday bash! Invite her over for a swim! Make your good barbecue, show her you looove her. Then bang her silly. That says I love you.”

“No!” Desmond cried, and Ezio laughed. “Ew dude no, don’t talk about Alex like that. I mean yeah, a party sounds good, but jesus dude, you’re fucked up.”

“It’s worked for me,” Ezio shrugged.

“Yeah but you’re you, and I’m…me.” Desmond said.

“Aw come on lil bro, don’t tell me I didn’t teach ya anything,” and Ezio reached over to ruffle his hair with one hand. Desmond slapped him away, he hated being treated like he was his still the little little brother.

“I’m not saying that,” Desmond grumbled.

“Yeah uh huh. Well bro, if you need any help, just lemme know. I’m the master party planner after all.”

“Yeaaah, thanks Ezio.” Desmond said to him as he rose up from the floor and started heading out the bedroom door. “I gotta get back to Karen on this, so ex-squeeeeeze me.”

He headed out the room, a quick turn to the right and down the stairs to their entertainment room that doubled as the kitchen. His mom was lounging on the couch, flipping through a magazine and taking periodic glances up at their “tv” screen (a roll down screen with a projector).

“Moooooom~” Desmond crooned at her as he walked in, and draped himself over the back of the couch dramatically. “My beautiful, lovely, amazing, mother dear~”

“What do you want, hijo?” Nadia asked without looking at him. 

“Uhhh, you wouldn’t happen to have any plans at all this weekend, would you?”

“Mmm, just cleaning the house. You know your brother is coming home, right?”

“Yeah but who cares about that-“

“Desmond!”

“Well okay, if IIIIII clean the house, can I have a party then? It’s Alex’s birthday this weekend, and I wanna do something nice for her. Pleaaaaase? I’ll clean before, and I’ll buy and make all the food, and I’ll clean it all up afterwards too. Please please pleaaaase, Mom? For Aleeex?”

He clasped his hands together and made the biggest, saddest puppy dog look he could muster, sticking his lip out pathetically and whimpered. Nadia finally glanced up at him, and she sighed loudly at the sight of him.

“Okay, okay, yes. For Alex, cause you know I love my hija.”

Success! Desmond eee’d and bent over to kiss his mom the cheek before he raced away, fingers already flying away at his phone’s keyboard.

‘Karkar, uuuu n meeee gurl, we got a parrrrtttyyyy 2 plan’

**x-X-x-X-x**

Desmond texted everyone later that night in their group chat, clear their calendars, cause there was gonna be a hootenanny, and all for one special girl, so be there or be square. Rebecca responded immediately, saying she’d start making some awesome playlists now for music. Clay texted back soon after, he was totally hyped. Shaun had a half-hearted response, but with some threatening from Becca, he agreed he’d be there. Lucy happily gushed over the idea, and of course, had to ask the number one question;

‘What do you think she’d like as a present?’

The whole chat flatlined for a solid ten minutes before anyone responded. Their savior came in the form of Clay, who pretty said what was all on their minds,

‘Fuck. Me. Running.’

**x-X-x-X-x**

Desmond was in the kitchen, writing out a list of supplies for the party, only some scant days away, when Ezio came up to him and threw an arm around his shoulders.

“Lil brooooo, need your help.” Ezio said. “Need you to scratch my back before I scratch yours.”

“Your point, get to it.”

“Help me re-arrange my room, gotta stick the cot in there.”

“Oh shit, yeah dude, totally. Let’s do it.”

At least, the great thing about having older brothers, and being the youngest, was that as soon as one moved out, he got his own room all to himself. Sharing a room with Ezio was like, terrible and awful and just all kinds of gross. Desmond felt a little bad for having to subject their brother to rooming with the world’s biggest slob, but if it meant keeping his room all to himself, then so be it.

And ooooh what a slob Ezio was. Just moving his TV stand kicked up a bunch of dust, moving his bean bags round found old food and socks, and oh yeah, the used condom that had been hiding under the dresser when they moved it (“Holy shit that’s where it went!”).

Fucking. Gross.

But after a few hours of moving things around, and lugging the cot up from the garage, they were finally done, and Desmond was free to resume building his supplies list. He had been coordinating with Karen all week on the party, basically catering it to what they knew Alex would just love. Or at least, they hoped Alex would love it, even if she didn’t show it outwardly. But the whole point was to wow and amaze her, and make her feel special and that would probably be achieved no matter what they did.

But what to get her as a present though? Maybe hosting the party would be good enough, but Desmond was an overachiever when it came to Alex, so of course he wanted to go over the top in impressing her. Alex was kinda hard to shop for though, she came off as a very practical person, and he wanted to get her something she’d actually use every day of her life as opposed to just setting down on a shelf or in a drawer to gather dust.

“Hey Ezio!” Desmond called over to his brother, relocated to the couch just a few feet away from the kitchen. “What do smart girls like?”

“…..Calculators,” Ezio nodded wisely. “And math books.”

“I dunno who’s more stupid, me for asking you, or you for giving me that answer.” Desmond grumbled.

“BUT YOU ASKED!”

“I KNOW, and boy do I regret it. Hurrrngh, goddammiit Eziooooo.”

“Fuck off, Desmond, it’s not like you could ask anyone better.”

“I think I could, and I can. I’ll ask an actual girl, and not the dumbest, pig headiest straight guy I know.”

“I’m offended.” Ezio scoffed.

“Good,” Desmond said bluntly. “You should be.”

He’d just text Karen instead, be way easier.

**x-X-x-X-x**

‘So in terms of gifts, wat doz Alex like?’

‘I’unno’

‘Arent u her bff?’

‘Yah. Doesnt mean I always kno what she likes’

‘Fuuuuuuu’ ‘well doz she need anything?’ ‘like important?’

‘A phone or smthn 4 starters’

‘Can’t afford that’

‘Y even try then, deso’

‘Ur not helping’

‘Well excuuuuuuuuuse me im working on this party planning’

‘ok ok’ ‘ill figure smthn out’

**x-X-x-X-x**

Desmond woke up the morning of Alex’s party, and he still didn’t have any presents ready for her. But it was kinda too late to worry about it, he had a hell of a lot of shit to do today! He woke up early just to make sure he’d have time to get everything for today. Except, when he barged into Ezio’s room, he didn’t see him there. In fact, Ezio’s bed looked like it hadn’t been touched since the previous morning. Where the FUCK did he go?? Did he not come home last night?

Fuckin shit, he was supposed to help Desmond get all the food and supplies!

“Moooooaaaoooaaaam,” Desmond whined as he ran downstairs to the kitchen. His mother was at the stovetop scrambling eggs and flipping pancakes. And sitting at the kitchen island was...his brother! The other one at least. Altair must have come in late last night after Desmond fell asleep.

“Bro!” Desmond cried, and ran over to hug him from behind. “Shit dude, hey!”

“Hey,” Altair mumbled back, shoving some eggs into his mouth.

“Hijo, language!” Nadia scolded Desmond. “What did you want anyway?”

“I was looking for Ezio,” Desmond said. “But uh you know, he’s not here?”

“Oh, mm, yeah I haven’t seen him. He must have had a date last night.” Nadia shrugged. “Breakfast?”

“Yes please!” and Desmond sat down next to Altair. “So, bro, how was Mongolia?”

“Hilly,” Altair replied simply. “It was pretty. You got taller.”

“Did I?” Desmond asked. “Heh, I gueeess. Think I’m almost your height now?”

“Nope,” Altair shook his head. “Still a half-pint.”

Desmond frowned at him, and rolled his eyes as his mother placed his plate in front of him.

“No matter how big you get, you two will always be my babies, my handsome boys,” Nadia cooed at him. Desmond groaned, and Altair huffed in amusement next to him.

At first glance, it was pretty easy to tell that Desmond and Altair were brothers. Even with Altair being ten years older than Desmond, they still looked incredibly similar, almost having the same amount of scruff on their chins as each other. The only thing the two of them and Ezio had in common were the same mother, so it was pretty extraordinary that they’d all end up looking so similar despite having radically different fathers.

“What did you need Ezio for anyway?” Altair asked. “He’s still kinda...useless.”

“Well he was gooonnna help me pick up some food and sh- stuff,” Desmond explained. “We’re throwing my friend a surprise birthday party, and Ezio saaaaid he’d help, but guess who’s not here.”

“Oh. Want me to do it then?” Altair offered.

“Aw bro, you don’t have to. Aren’t you like, uber tired from your flight?”

“It’s fine,” Altair shrugged. “Never bothered me.”

‘It’s cause you’re not human,’ Desmond thought to himself. To him, Altair was this like, alien being from another planet. Like how even after finally coming home after months abroad doing volunteer work in Mongolia, he still most likely woke up at seven a.m on the dot after a twelve hour flight. And Desmond knew how he slept too when he got home, probably lied down on his bed straight on his back like a vampire and slept like that, then at seven o’ clock, arose like one too.

Then he had like, no emotions, at least none that Desmond knew of. Bricks were more emotional and chatty than Altair. Maybe Desmond just didn’t...understand him due to their huge age difference? They got along fine, sure, but Altair was just one big question mark to him. Regardless, Desmond still appreciated his offer to help. An hour after they ate breakfast, they were out the door to the grocery store. Desmond had a whole list of what they needed, chips, soda, assorted finger foods, hamburgers and buns. More coals for the grill, ice, the works.

The great thing about having two older brothers who entertained a lot was that Desmond had learned all the tricks to being a fantastic party host.

“So,” Altair started as they were in the store, throwing items into their cart. “Which friend is this party for?”

“Oh uh, you haven’t met her yet,” Desmond said. Altair quirked a brow at him.

“I see. That’s nice you’re making new friends.” and he didn’t say anymore.

Yeah, new friends that he was totally crazy about and couldn’t stop thinking about kissing again. Buuuut Altair didn’t need to know about that, like, at all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang celebrates a birthday and they also religiously ship almond

Everyone was here, at least, just about here. Lucy showed up an hour before, bringing with her extra food and her present for Alex, top secret, just wait till you see it. But she helped Desmond with the final preparations, setting out the last of the decorations and helped arrange the food and drinks. As soon as Desmond and Altair had gotten home from the store and unpacked the door, the latter headed upstairs for a nap, another couple hours of lying dead on his bed like a fucking vampire. Which was fine, Desmond trusted student-body-comittee-chairperson Lucy’s decorating and organization skills way more than his.

Not too long after Lucy showed up did Clay, bringing with him his masterful sound system that he wasted no time in hooking up out on the back patio. At nearly time of the party, Rebecca and Shaun showed up, Becca all too proud of herself for her amazing gift picking skills, and Shaun loudly complained that it only took them so long cause Rebecca insisted Shaun get Alex a proper gift, which didn’t actually happen but IT WAS THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTED, SHAUN, GODDAMMIT.

By the time the party was to officially start, everything was ready and set to go. They tried to refrain from eating or jumping into the pool until Alex got there, just so the noise level would be minimal. After all, it was supposed to be a surprise party. So surprise that there weren’t any balloons or anything out front, and Desmond had everyone moved their cars around the corner to make it look like no one was here. As far as Alex knew, it was just going to be her, Karen, and her sister just having a minor pool party at Desmond’s house.

It was gonna be great.

Fifteen minutes after, his phone buzzed, a text from Kare, they were heeeere. It was a mad scramble to get into position, the trio would be coming through the side gate as instructed, and they had to make sure the surprise didn’t get spoiled early. Desmond met them at the gate, play it cool, nothing going on here.

“DESMOOOOND!” Dana screamed in delight seeing him, leaping up into his arms the moment the gate swung open.

“Arrrgh, Dana! Kiddoooo!” Desmond howled back as he squeezed her back, and then flipped her around to tuck her under his shoulder, Dana giggling like mad the whole time. “Karen, heyyo. Alex! Hey, hap-“

She looked beautiful. Hair neatly pinned up, a loose shirt tied at the side, and a strap of a bathing suit peaking out from her shoulder. She looked ready to swim, but also like, actually ready in the expected, feminine way-

Okay he didn’t know what he was thinking, Alex just sorta had this habit of short circuiting his brain, and the thought of kissing her was still on his mind. Fucking sue him.

“Happy birthday, Alex,” he breathed with a smile. Alex matched his smile in return, though a little more embarrassed. Karen nudged her, a huge, knowing grin on her face.

“Thanks,” Alex replied. “You know, just for having us over. You didn’t have to…”

“Nooo, I wanted to!” Desmond insisted. “Right Karen, we were toootally stoked about today?”

“Yeaaas~” Karen said. “You just want you to feel special on your day, and you alone~”

“I wanna go swimmin!” Dana wiggled under Desmond’s arm. He set her back down on her feet. “Let’s go let’s gooooo!” she tugged at his hand.

“Okay, okay, Dana, calm down, alright, let’s go. You gals eat yet? I’m about to start up the grill, thinking of going with some wings and hot dogs, maybe ribs. What do you like, Alex? Your birthday, you get first pick.”

He talked aloud as they went around the side to the pool, mostly as a warning to their friends waiting on the other side.

“Uhm, I dunno, whatever’s fine, Desmond,” Alex shrugged. “I really don’t-“

“SURPRISE!”

As soon as they rounded the corner, bam, the whole gang jumped out at once. Alex stopped dead in her tracks.

“Surpriiiise!” Dana squealed back, bouncing up and down in surprise, looking between everyone. “Surprise, surpriiiise!”

“Happy birthday, Alex!” Karen and Desmond chimed in, and everyone else echoed them. Alex was at a loss for words, dumbly glancing between them as her face went a hot red from shock and embarrassment.

“Oh-Oh,” Alex managed to stutter out, and they all piled in to give her a giant group hug. Certainly hadn’t been expecting that, now had she? They all let her go to wow and amaze her with the lengths they went to prepping this for her, the food, the music, the decorations, the pile of gifts, everything! Alex didn’t say much, just kept a hand firmly clamped over her mouth. Maybe she looked ready to cry, maybe not, she was doing her best to keep her emotions in check.

That was, until everyone was looking at her with hopeful, expectant smiles, silently egging her on to just say something, tell them what she really thought.

“You’re all a bunch of assholes,” Alex said quietly at last. “….But I love you guys.”

They all cheered and whooped, and then Dana piped up-

“Can we SWIM now? Pleaaaaase?”

**x-X-X-x**

“So what’s your story with Alex?” Clay asked Karen. They were sitting at the pool’s edge with Lucy, watching Becca and Dana splash around. Shaun was being a total butt and sitting under a pool umbrella, avoiding the sun and water, while Alex was quietly chewing Desmond out while he grilled. This was the first time they had met Karen in person, hell, even little Dana. So color them curious about them, wanted to know more, the two halves of Alex’s social life finally becoming one.

“Her best friend since like, foreveerrr,” Karen explained with a grin. “What about you guys?”

“Her best friends since like, March?” Lucy offered, and they all laughed.

“Okay well, I’m like, her designated best friend,” Karen smirked. “Like sorry, but I was here first.”

“Trust me, not trying to steal her from you,” Clay assured. “Though, I think your real competition is tall, tan, and handsome over there.”

All three stole a quick glance over their shoulders. Desmond and Aled still had their backs turned, but they didn’t miss the way their lovebirds were huddled so close and whispering into each other’s ears. It was really cute. They all turned back around.

“So they’re like, totally meant for each other?” Clay asked.

“Oh yeah, toootally,” Karen nodded. “I’ve never seen Alex so obsessed with someone. Not like, totally obsessed, but mmmm, she has it soooo bad for him.”

“We knooow,” Lucy sighed. “Desmond’s just as bad. And they won’t say it! They knew, we know, everyone and their grandma knows, but they won’t go out! It’s infuriating.”

“It’s so duuuumb,” Clay groaned. “Like, okay, I get why. We know Alex isn’t the kind of person to just be like, hey nice shoes wanna fuck or some shit, she could at least break character just one time to confess her undying love for him and how she wants to have his babies or something…”

Lucy and Karen stared at him.

“What?” Clay asked. “It’s what we were all thinkin, don’t deny it. Becca can back me up.”

“It’s true,” Rebecca said as she floated past them. “I ship them hardcore. You’re not supposed to ship people I-R-L, but I can’t help iiit. They’re my real person O-T-P.” she sighed dreamily, and made a heart shape with her hands and floated back away.

“Wow,” Karen said in response. “You’re all…Really something…”

“Okay but I don’t hear either of you denying it,” Clay huffed.

“Shhhhh,” Lucy hushed him. “Just be quiet Clay….Just be quiet…”

**x-X-X-x**

“But I don’t wanna waaaait,” Dana whined at Desmond as they stepped inside the kitchen. “I just wanna swimmm.”

“I know, but Alex said you gotta eat lunch first before you have cake.” Desmond reminded her. Dana sighed louder, cause he was right, and she wasn’t gonna not listen to her sister, especially on her birthday.

“But hey, cheer up, you get your own big kid drink too,” Desmond said as he opened up the fridge and pulled out a mini Cola can and handed it to her. Dana’s eyes went wide as she gasped in delight, vibrating in place eagerly as Desmond popped the can open and handed it to her. Fair was fair, in a sense. Cause he was pulling out a simplified version of riot punch, the version that was going to get them all at least tipsy but by the time they all left tonight they could drive home without getting into an accident or pulled over by a cop.

But since Dana was like, seven, she got a coke. Which was pretty much the little kid equivalent of alcohol….Maybe….It’s what his brothers did with him at that age, and Dana was now basically his little sister, so whatever. And speaking of brothers, Desmond was getting out glasses for the punch when he heard Altair say-

“Well, you’re new.”

Desmond turned around to see his brother standing in the doorway of the kitchen, sleepily staring down at Dana, who was staring at him back in confusion and awe. She looked at Desmond, then back to Altair, her face scrunching up as she tried to piece this together. It was really cute,

“Yeah, that’s Dana,” Desmond started. “Dana, this is MY big brother, Altair.”

“But I thought Ezio was your big brother,” Dana said.

“I have twoooo big brothers. But Altair’s the biggest big brother”

Dana’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open, and now she stared up at Altair in utter jealousy. Cause WHAT, that wasn’t fair. She didn’t have two big sisters, but Desmond got two big brothers anyway? Noooot faaaaair.

“Whoah,” Dana finally said, then scoffed and stomped away.

“Dana, baby where you going?” Desmond laughed as he called after her. She didn’t reply, just pulled open the screen door and marched back outside. “Danaaa, were you gonna help me with thiiis.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Altair asked with a quirked brow.

“Nah, you’re fine,” Desmond chuckled. “She’s just…You know.”

“I don’t, no,” Altair said deadpanned. “Is that your punch?”

“Yup. Actually, glad you’re here. In ex change for food, do you mind being an adult for us?”

“Sure, I guess so. How’s your party going so far?”

“Pretty well, I think. Everyone’s having a lot of fun.”

“Even the friend this party is for? Is she here?”

“Oh, fuck yeah! Here, I’ll introduce you to her. She’s really cool, you’ll like her.”

Minutes later, they were stepping outside with the pitcher and glasses. The moment they stepped out, Becca screamed.

“ALTAAIIIIR!” she cried, and all his friends popped out of their seats like meerkats to freak out over him in their own way.

“ALTAIR, MY MAAAN!”

“Altaiiiir, heey~”

“Cheers, mate, long time no see.”

“Dear children, rejoice, your benevolent leader has returned,” Altair said to them in his ever endearing flat tone. “Your crops will now grow again, your famines ending. The plaque is now cured, and you will no longer die before the age of twenty. Blessed you all be.”

“Blessed,” Rebecca faked sobbed. “The dark times are over.

“Praise be!” Clay cried, raising his arms up.

“Our prayers have finally been answered,” Lucy bowed her head.

“I’m not that melodramatic, sorry,” Shaun said bluntly. They erupted into laughter, sans Altair of course, and their two very confused guests.

“Holy fuck, okay guys,” Desmond chuckled as he poured out their drinks. He noticed the helpless looks Alex and Karen were giving him, and he shot them an apologetic smile. “Hey uh, so this my older, ollllder brother, Altair. He was in Mongolia for the Peace Corps this whole time…Uh….yeah.”

They nodded, and looked to Altair again, their wide eyed expressions practically mirroring Dana’s from earlier. Dana herself was in Alex’s lap, still pouting a little as she sipped her soda. She wasn’t that impressed anymore.

“So which one’s the birthday girl?” Altair asked. Six fingers pointed at Alex, and she sobbed under her breath from how easily everyone just outright betrayed her like that. “Cool, happy birthday,” Altair nodded to her.

“T-Thanks,” Alex said back weakly.

Desmond only grinned at it all, this was going GREAT.

“So who wants to try the punch first?” he asked.

**x-X-X-x**

They had to to presents next, at least, Rebecca insisted they did. After eating and drinking, and sloppily cutting the cake, presents just naturally had to come next. That, and she reaaally wanted to see Alex’s reaction to her gift in particular, and Alex didn’t exactly object, so presents next it was.

“You guys didn’t haaaave to get me anything,” was all Alex protested as the gift pile moved from one table to right in front of her.

“Donnn’t even,” Clay rolled his eyes. “Now open one up!”

“But mine first!” Rebecca insisted. “Cause it was my idea to!”

“Shut up, shut up, let her do what she wants,” Lucy soothed.

“Okay, fine, yes, Becca’s first,” Alex huffed. The other dark haired girl pumped a fist in the air in victory. Desmond had his phone out, camera app open, and he hit the red record button the moment Alex picked out Becca’s. It was a tall, blue bag, with way too much paper in it, until Alex pulled out…A bra? Desmond was pretty sure it was a bra.

“Happy birthday!” Rebecca hollered. “I got you a training bra! Your first one! I mean, you’re gonna need one eventually, right? And I got it extra big so you have room to grow into it!”

They all groaned, oh noooo. Even Alex looked beside herself, leaning back in her chair, red in the face, a hand slapped back over her mouth. Looked like she didn’t know what to be more embarrassed about, that she got a bra as a present or she got a bra and EVERYONE saw it.

“Fuck me,” Alex sighed.

“You love it, right?” Rebecca asked.

“…I do actually,” Alex replied as she folded it up and stuck it back in the bag. “I’ll try it on later,”

Rebecca snickered smugly to herself.

“…Right well, here’s something a little more acceptable for a public birthday party,” Shaun said as he pushed an envelope towards Alex. “It’s not a bra, I promise, can’t exactly fit a bra into this one…”

“Not with that attitude you can’t, Shaunie!” Clay laughed.

Shaun shot him a glare, and Clay joined Becca in the giggles department.

“Oh jeez, what can possibly top that?” Alex asked sarcastically as she picked the envelope open. “Oh shit,” she gasped a second later. Gift card to Barnes & Noble. “Wow, thanks Shaun. That’s a lot more thoughtful of you than I’d normally give you credit for.”

“Yeah yeah, Alex, whatever. Happy birthday and all that,” Shaun waved it off. 

“My tuuuurrrn,” Clay crooned, shoving a small, slim box at Alex. “I think you’ll like mine better~”

Alex pulled the top of the box, and a chorus of oooh’s echoed around the table. It was just an itouch, two generations old, still looked new. And, knowing Clay, recently restored.

“Just need wifi. But you can download like, skype, or or whatsapp. Now you can text us whenever you want to. Or like watch youtube, or download music. It’s a practical, long term investment until you get a phone.” Clay pitched.

“This is really nice, Clay, thank you,” Alex smiled softly. “I appreciate it.”

“Happy birthday is all I’m saying,” Clay grinned. “Luuuucy’s tuuuurn.”

“Oh, my presents aren’t that exciting,” Lucy shrugged. She had a bag similar to Becca’s, but instead there was a tote bag instead. “Ah, look inside it!”

And inside, carefully folded and rolled up, a few shirts and skirts, hopefully Alex’s size as Lucy expressed moments later as Alex unrolled them. They were all super cute, and Alex had the biggest smile on her face.

“Goddd, you guys REALLY didn’t need to-“

“ALEEEEEEX,” they all crowed at her.

“Okay,” Alex laughed. “Okay, thank you, THANK YOUUUU. God, can I get another glass of punch?”

**x-X-X-x**

The party had been, to a degree, a complete success. Really, Desmond considered it one the moment Alex actually relaxed and had fun. When she jumped in the pool and actually started to enjoy herself. Really, they were all in there, played some chicken, diving contest, things of that nature. And once it started to get dark, Altair lit up the fire pit for them, and they managed to scrounge out some marshmallows and roasted them. Ended with them crowding into the kitchen/entertainment room, rolled down the projector and had a wild game of eight person Smash Brothers.

It was crazy. It was fun. It felt like it went by all too quickly. By nine o’ clock, everyone was starting to filter out, a couple last birthday wishes to Alex before they spun out the door and into the night, all until Alex, Karen, and Dana were left. Karen insisted they stay longer, just so she could help Desmond clean up, the party idea was half hers after all. Alex joined in as soon as she had Dana wrapped up in a blanket and settled on a couch, poor baby already tuckered out for the evening and dead asleep.

“So you’re not too mad at us, right?” Karen asked Alex as they came back from throwing cans and bottles into the recycling bins.

“I’m overcome with anger,” Alex replied dryly.

“But you had fun, right?”

“Yeah, I gueeess.”

“You guess?” Desmond chuckled from where he was cleaning out the grill. “I dunno Alex, I think you had way too much, I know it’s unusual for you but…”

“Don’t even start with me,” Alex huffed. Desmond and Karen chuckled.

“Here, I’m gonna go throw all your new stuff into the car, I’ll be right back,” Karen said. “You two behave while I’m gone, okay?” she winked as she walked away.

“Hey Alex, let’s just grossly make out right now, then like, I dunno go rob a bank or something,” Desmond suggested.

“Sure no problem. Did you know that transgender asexuals are like, practically invisible and if you hold my hand, you’ll temporarily gain my powers and we can get away with it scot free?” Alex asked him back, reaching out to take his hand.

“Oohmygod, fuck yeah, let’s rob EVERY bank, and then do some drugs,” Desmond said.

“Okay I get it!” Karen called over her shoulder. They snickered dumbly for a few moments, long after Karen was gone. Then they really seemed to notice that oh, mmm yes, they were holding hands now. Desmond ran his thumb over the back of Alex’s hand and tugged her closer, dropping the grill scrub to pull her flush against him.

“I might have been a little serious about grossly making out. As a present, cause it’s your birthday,” Desmond smiled. “I mean, if you wanted to.”

“So you don’t wanna rob a bank then?” Alex asked, her free hand sliding up Desmond’s chest to his shoulder. “I could use the cash…Just sayin.”

They snickered again, foreheads softly thunking together, and half a second later their lips met. Only had precious minutes until Karen came back, and it was the first time today that they had been alone together. So, had to take advantage of this moment while they could.

“Happy birthday,” Desmond whispered as their lips broke apart. “Sorry I didn’t get you anything.”

“I think the party and kiss sufficed,” Alex whispered back. “Honestly I should have known. Karen was being shifty all week…You assholes.”

“You loved it.”

“Stop saying that, I know.”

They stared at each other through hooded eyes and smirks and sneers, and kissed one more time before they properly broke apart and scurried inside. Dana was the only sole occupant just inside the house, and they strode over to pick her off the couch and carry her out. Desmond carefully cradled her in his arms as they went through the house, out the front door, near colliding with Karen.

“Oh sorry if I took too long,” Karen laughed softly. “I guess that’s everything?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” Alex said. “Let’s get her home, it’s way past her bedtime.”

They got Dana in the car, carefully buckled up in her booster seat, she didn’t utter a peep the whole time. The other two girls climbed inside, and Desmond bid them goodbye through the window. And once they were gone, he sighed and walked back inside, shut the door behind him, and man did he feel ready for bed. But he still had a lot to clean up. Wanted the inside of the house to look somewhat normal before his parents came home. William and Nadia had left earlier that afternoon, went into Los Angeles to do…whatever it was parents did there.

He walked back into the kitchen to put the rest of the food way, and nearly screamed when he saw Altair and EZIO of all people helping themselves to the rest of the riot punch.

“WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN!” Desmond thundered at his brother. “WHEN DID YOU EVEN GET BACK?”

“Not too long ago?” Ezio replied innocently. “Came in, showered, came downstairs, saw you were uh…Buuusy~ Outside with Alex, and uh, went back upstairs until they were gone.”

Desmond’s jaw dropped as his face went beet red. Busy outside….He didn’t mean….Oh fuck…

“Ohhhh,” Altair suddenly gasped flatly. “You like her. Well this makes a lot more sense.”

“Dude, I told youuu,” Ezio cackled. “He loooooooves this girl.”

“Mmmm,” Altair hummed. “I see…Well that’s cute.”

“Sh-sh-shut up!” Desmond stuttered, slapping his hands over his face.

“Desmond’s got a cruuu-uuush~” Ezio sang. “And we alll know iiiiiit~”

“I thought she was really nice,” Altair shrugged. “I mean, he could have picked worse.”

“Yeah, he could be picking his dates like you,” Ezio nudged Altair. The older man grunted as he pushed Ezio away from him. “But seriously, baby bro, stop being an Altair about it, and get it onnnn with her.”

“I’mnothavingthisconversation!I’mnothavingthisconversation!I’mnothavingthisconversation!” Desmond screeched as he ran out of the room, no, please, make it stop, just make it stoppp.

“DON’T RUN FROM YOUR TRUE FEELINGS!” Ezio called after him. “JUST LET IT ALL OUUUT!”

“So good to be home,” Altair sighed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Karen-centric POV chapter where she reflects over the last couple months and her relationship with Alex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was gonna be the start of a much longer chapter...but i decided that it could stand alone, and would be better by itself!

It was a curious, mystical thing, getting to watch the beautiful girl known as Alex Mercer grow and change the way she did. Very few people had the special privilege of watching that wallflower slowly blossom and bloom, and Karen could safely say she was one of those few people. 

She met Alex the day the Mercer’s moved in just a few houses down and across the street. Still remembered an awkward Alex sitting on the front lawn of the house, bouncing a baby on her knee, simply watching meager furniture get offloaded from a van to the house. And in that moment, Karen took it upon herself to steer her sparkly pink bike over, dump it at the curb, and proudly introduce herself.

Cause it wasn’t just every day that a new kid just happened to move in, especially, from Karen’s perspective, what looked like to her, a knobby-kneed, messy mop of black hair, biggest blue eyes ever, _boy_. And this was the summer before starting middle school, of course Karen cared _a lot_ about meeting a new “boy”.

And thankfully, that was something that she and Alex would be able to laugh about later on in embarrassment.

But Karen made it her life goal to befriend Alex, or at least, get into Alex’s good graces so someone had something nice to say about her when they started school. At least, it was like that for the first few weeks. And then after, Karen figured out that Alex wasn’t that kind of person, and that breaking Alex out of the proverbial shell was going to be a lot tougher than she thought.

It worked, in the end. Cause they ended up at the same school, in the same general locker space, and Alex didn’t go to the same elementary school as her, so Karen was the only person Alex ended up knowing. Their budding friendship was still in its rocky phases, as Karen focused more on befriending other girls in school, to talk about things like fashion, and music, and dreamy movie stars.

None of those girls lasted, because while Karen wanted to be a girly girl, even back then she was very career minded. She put her grades first, and focused on being the best she could in her classes before she focused on the tabloids her “friends” were always talking about. And at least Alex was there. Cause Alex was also smart, and cared about grades, and studied for classes with feverish abandon.

Alex did all that while juggling being the relatively sole care taker of an infant Dana. Jolene Mercer was a total deadbeat, and didn’t do anything for her children, so it was left to Alex to be the official mother of the household and make sure it didn’t fall apart. But it did give them a chance to grow closer, many afternoons after school spent sitting in the Mercer living room, studying between rounds of feedings, diaper changes, and naps.

It was an experience that Karen hadn’t had before then, and it was still an experience for her to this day.

There was a lot of first time experiences between her and Alex. First awkward date to the school dance, first hand holding, first date, first kiss, first girlfriend…First _fuck_. Then later first break-up, first ex. But still very much, best friends regardless.

Because they had quickly become thicker than thieves, two partners in crime when it was clear that the rest of the student body insisted on treating Alex like an outlier. The boys didn’t like Alex, didn’t like that Alex was so much smaller than them, much tinier, much weaker, so much more _pathetic_. And of course, a gigantic nerd, and it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see some thick tape holding together the bridge of Alex’s glasses.

So they naturally stuck together, a beautiful friendship forming between them that would eventually turn into something more. And it was thanks to Karen’s help that they both slowly unraveled Alex’s identity. Which led to just learning more and more about themselves in turn. Another thing they loved to laugh about now, when they figured out that Alex was trans, was wondering if them dating each other made them lesbians or not for dating another girl.

Of course in the end, Alex wasn’t, but Karen-

Well, going to an all girl’s school for high school made her realize, holy _shit_ she loved girls. And her favorite girl in the whole wide world, that couldn’t compare to any other girl, just happened to be one Ms. Alex Mercer. Even after their initial break-up, they still remained so close, and Alex had no problem with Karen cuddling her, and kissing her, and when the need arose (but only on a full moon when all the planets had aligned and there was a human sacrifice), taking care of some more _bodily_ needs (cause they were teenagers and hey, teenagers were raging ball of hormones sometimes, and Alex only trusted Karen with things like that).

Neither one had dated since, no actual girlfriends or boyfriends or just…partners in general. Karen thought about it from time to time, but a sense of fairness prevented her going any farther than casual dates with other girls. She devoted a lot of herself to making sure Alex was happy, because Alex deserved to be happy. And Alex didn’t have any other friends, and Karen didn’t want her to feel left out...

Enter Desmond Miles as of this past February.

It had surprised Karen that someone, anyone, for all intents and purposes, what seemed like a regular old, straight cis boy would ever take an interest in her Alex. And it surprised her even more when Alex, who complained and grumbled about this, ended up getting the biggest, hardcore crush for this boy. It wasn’t like Alex was incapable of feeling attraction towards anyone, it just took Karen by surprise a little that, of all people, it was going to be some straight boy.

In fact, Karen practically waited to hear any sort of reports about him from Alex. She didn’t even know Desmond yet, and yet she had already decided that if he DARE touch Alex, harm on HAIR on her head, Karen was going to murder him. Nothing was going to stop her from finding this boy and making him pay for whatever he did to Alex.

Instead, he remained nothing but sweet and understanding, and Alex had nothing but good things to say about him. That, and she’d come to Karen in near tears, because she didn’t know what to do about this boy, how did she fall in love with him so hard, and so fast, all because he was just so nice to her? And it tore her apart not knowing what to say back to him, or how to act, or what to do, and she was so scared of losing him.

But the biggest thing Karen noticed, was that Alex was so _happy_. She smiled more, and seemed so much more confident, and she laughed more, and she talked about her new friends with such a vigor, that it actually…Made Karen a little jealous.

Mostly because she felt like somehow, Alex was slipping away from her? But not really, Alex wasn’t going anywhere. But Karen was’t getting to see this all firsthand, and hadn’t until Alex’s birthday. And she liked Alex’s new friends, they were all very sweet and super hilarious, so Karen could see why Alex adored them so much.

Buuuut then there was Desmond.

Boy oh boy, there was Desmond.

Desmond, who looked at Alex like he was looking at a literal goddess. Desmond, who didn’t even hide the consistent awestruck, adoration he looked at Alex with. It was SO OBVIOUS, and everyone saw it, except somehow Alex. Especially Alex, who would wander around with that dazed expression on her face, and ask Karen how she got someone like Desmond Miles to fall in love with her. And honestly, Karen couldn’t answer.

Even right now, sitting next to Alex atop her bed, helping her with loading music onto her new ipod from Clay, Karen could try and come up with a million reasons why, but really, there wasn’t a single one that could justify it. Karen glanced up at Alex, and once again, felt that urge to just push Alex down into the mattress and kiss her, remind her that Karen loved her first, and she would always love her and always be here-

But out of respect for both Alex and Desmond, she didn’t. She hated being so distant from Alex in that sense, but it was for the best. Alex had actually found someone that loved her more than life itself (which was pretty dreamy and romantic for a bunch of seventeen year olds) all on her own, and Karen…Karen was very happy for her. She missed her though, she missed her so much. Alex still spent as much time with Karen as she did everyone else, but it wasn’t the same Alex from earlier in the year.

Her Alex had grown so much in the past five months, and truthfully, Karen couldn’t be happier for her. Still, she reached up anyway to push a dark, curly lock of hair behind Alex’s ear. The corner of Alex’s mouth twitched upwards briefly, and Karen took the chance to scoot closer and lay her head on Alex’s shoulder.

Sure, Desmond could have Alex as much as he wanted, so long as he loved and respected her, but Karen waaas still here first. Best friend privileges trumped major crush privileges. Her dreamy peace was shattered a few moments later when her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see a new tex from- Well, who else? She swiped the text open, her brows crinkling together as she read it. Was he…Being serious? Wow…how nerdy.

“Des-o wants to know if you’re busy tomorrow night,” Karen said.

“Yes, because you know, I have such a busy schedule,” Alex huffed. “Why?”

“Cause he wants you to come over for his brother’s game night.”

“What?”

“Yeah…You know like…Dungeons and Dragons?” Karen supplied none too helpfully. “I dunno?”

They stared down quizzically at the text, Karen shooting one back to ask him to clarify, and Desmond replied saying yeah, _game night_. Like, tabletop games and video games, and his brother Altair was hosting it. And his brother’s friends were coming, who were basically a pack of “gay unicorns” and oh, there was someone coming over that Alex just HAD to meet. Also they’d be swimming too, so is Alex free or not?

“Yes,” Alex laughed. “Yes, yes, ahaha, yes tell him I’m totally down for it.”

Karen laughed along with her as she replied back to Desmond. She couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous still.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Game night at the Miles house...Kinda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Organization and sturcture? What the fuck is that. Sounds like something proffessional writers do, something I am not, but you get this mess anyway because it's long overdue and I hated staring at it

“And then I tear Flipper’s suit off to tend to his wounds,” Maria finished, looking around the table expectantly. All the players glanced between each other, and then finally Altair reached out and handed her a red die. “And I have nothing to fix his leg with, and neither do these penguins.”

“Aha but you see!” Desmond declared as his turn came along. “That’s where you’re wrong. Penguins are well known to be compassionate and caring creatures. In their despair over seeing me in pain, they waddle over to tend to my leg-“

“How?!” Kadar cried.

“Ah-eh, I will tell you. They waddle over to my prone form, and they raise their wings in unison, and they slap me,” Desmond said. “ _Flapflapflapflapflap_. With each slap, my wounds heal, the bones in my leg come back as one, and I am healed! End scene.”

Half the table was cracking up, muttering “holy shit” and “goddammit Desmond” under their breaths. Maria shook her head at him and also handed him a red die. Desmond grinned wickedly as he looked around the table, devising his next course of action.

“In thanks for their help, I jump up on my newly healed leg, and I _slaughter the penguins_!” he yelled, and Adha gasped loudly. “Then I skin their dead bodies, and with their pelts, I create a new mascot costume, thus completely ending my turn.”

“What’s _wrong_ with you?” Malik laughed as he buried his face in his hand.

“Everything,” Desmond grinned. “Your turn~”

“Right, okay,” Malik huffed. “So Fuckhands McMike and Lord Boney are still trudging through the Antarctic wastes, trying to reach the research station. They’re cold, tired, and Fuckhands McMike is getting a little bit hungry-“

“Lord Boney would like to remind Mike that he’s a whole skeleton and will not provide sufficient nutritional value if Mike chooses to devour him,” Altair interrupted.

“Well good news for us,” Malik continued. “That there’s a cave nearby full of dead, skinless penguins that are ripe for the taking.”

“You leave my penguins alone!” Desmond cried.

“But they’re already _dead_!”

“Yeah and I like them that way, get your own penguins!”

“SO FUCKHANDS MCMIKE AND LORD BONEY TRAVEL TO THE CAVE TO REUNITE WITH FLIPPERS AND AGENT OF CHAOS-“

“Flippers cries out in fear of the unknown!”

“Hold on I’m getting a phone call,” Altair said as he pressed his cell to his ear. “Yo-“

“When they arrive at the cave, they are greeted to the sight of sheer horror, the bodies of dozens of dead penguins.”

“Agent of Chaos cries out in sheer joy to see her rescue,” Maria said. “But also feels very _guffed_ that Lord Boney, her true love, is still with her hated rival, Fuckhands McMike.”

“Flippers growls threateningly at the newcomers, to stay away from his dead penguin stash,” Desmond said.

“Shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuup, all of you!” Altair shouted, and the table went quiet. “Okay, repeat that again for me,” Altair said into his phone. “Uh huh….Okay…Sweet….On our way, okay…Yeah I got it…Aight….bye,” and he hung up the phone. The table looked to him for guidance in their suddenly stopped game. “….Ezio’s at a bonfire party down in Malibu, and if we hurry, we get there before the cops show up.”

“Are we going to the beach?” Rauf asked him.

“Yeah.”

The table let out a whoop of delight, and chairs scrapped against tile as they hurried out of their seats to grab their belongings.

“Wait,” Alex stopped Desmond, grabbing at his arm. “Are…Are we really going? What about the game?”

“This is the game,” Desmond nodded. “The game is to see how long Game Night lasts before we get interrupted….We don’t have to go if you don’t want to, we can wait here if you’d like…”

“No, it’s fine, let’s totally go,” Alex grinned. “I love hitting up the beach at ten p.m.”

**x-X-X-x**

They piled into two cars, Altair, Adha, Maria, and Malik in one, and then Desmond, Alex, Rauf, and Kadar in the other. Desmond followed Altair the whole twenty minute drive through the mountains down to the beach, blasting an oldie’s radio station as they drove, with Rauf (slightly already tipsy), singing along loudly to the “songs of his youth”. To which, Desmond and Kadar gave him total hell for outing himself as a total old man (because being the only thirty year old out of the entire group is ollllld, especially compared to young seventeen year olds like Desmond and Alex).

The beach they found Ezio and his own gang of friends at was at a small beach, more out of the way, but less likely to be reported to by the cops. It was mainly students from the local high schools and universities, who knew the neighborhood like the back of their hands, all the best beaches for surfing every morning before class, the best ones to have parties at, etc.

Their group dispersed rather quickly once they hit the beach, spreading out amongst the crowd to say hello, make some new friends, all that good stuff. Desmond and Alex stayed at Kadar’s side, the youngest of the bunch, the designated, metaphorical kid’s table. There were three fires, two small ones and one big one that they sat themselves down at next to a few of Ezio’s friends.

“Ah, the brothers Miles and Al-Sayf~” Leonard sang out to them, strumming at a guitar like the most stereotypical beach bum ever. “And ha, who’s this? You would happen to be the dashing young dame that’s stolen our dear little Desmond’s heart, would you?”

“ _What?_ ” Desmond and Alex cried out in unison. Kadar and Leonard barked out in laughter at them.

“Oh sorry, I thought you knew the praises your brother was singing of you, dear baby brother, finally found himself a girl,” Leonard explained dreamily. “A girl way out of his league, he says, but ah, a heart of gold she must have for putting up with him anyway.”

“What the _fuck_ ,” Desmond scoffed, fucking Ezio-]

“Well, I mean, yeah,” Alex agreed, shooting Desmond sheepish smile. “He’s not wrong there.”

Desmond gawked at her, mouth wide open, feeling extremely betrayed. They all laughed at him some more, Kadar playfully punching at his arm, no hard feelings, they were just giving him a hard time. Nothing new but come ooonnnnn.

“I’m gonna actually kill Ezio,” Desmond mumbled.

“Heeey, allllll I’m trying to say is I’m happy for you!” Leonardo assured. “My sweet young miss, you’re lovely from what I can tell. I’m Leonardo, one of Ezio’s friends.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Alex,” Alex introduced herself.

“And IIIIII’m Yusuf!” The man himself cried as he plopped down with them. “Hello friends, whazzzuuuup?”

“Ohmygod, hey maaaan!” Desmond reached over to shake his hand. “It’s been a while!”

“Deso-mond, hello! And ah yes, Kadar is it? Malik’s brother, yes?”

“Yup, nice to see you again,” Kadar nodded. “Leo drag you out here?”

“Oh noooo, no dragging involved!” Leonardo cut in. “Yusuf has become quuuuuite the party animal. We’ve truly Californianized him.”

“Oh yeah?” Desmond smirked. “Yusuf, when’s the last time you went surfing?”

“This morning!” Yusuf stated proudly. “I’ve been getting better at it!”

“Right on man, right on,” Desmond praised.

“Your first year of college go well?” Kadar asked.

“It did! I had a wonderful time, it’s so much fun!” Yusuf nodded enthusiastically before turning to Alex. “I go to Pepperdine, it is a great school. I love getting the beautiful ocean view every morning. But your water, baaah,” he grimaced. “It’s so cold, I don’t know how you stand it!”

“Where are you from?” Alex asked.

“Istanbul!” Yusuf said cheerfully. Alex let out a soft “oh” in reply. “Hahaa, yes yes, I know! I miss the Mediterranean, it is a beautiful sea. Your weather reminds me of it, but your waters, tooooo cooolllld.”

“See he complains about that and yet I swear he’s part fish when he gets in the ocean,” laughed Leonardo.

“Ahhh, details, details,” Yusuf shrugged. “But hey! We are going surfing again tomorrow morning over at Point Dume! You should all come!”

“Oooh, that sounds awesome, count me in,” Kadar smiled.

“Hell yeah man, I’m down!” Desmond said, then paused and looked to Alex. “Do you wanna come too? You don’t have to if you don’t wanna…”

“Why not?” Alex said. “It won’t kill me. What time do you leave like...Seven? Eight?”

“More like six,” Leonardo piped up.

“Oh,” Alex’s expression fell briefly, but she thought it over, and nodded, “Sure, that’s fine.”

“Yaaaaay!” Yusuf clapped. “I’ll see you in the morning then! I gotta go find Ezio, see you later!”

“Byyyyyye!” They waved after him as he hopped back up and sped off.

“Kadar, you’re good to surf already?” Leonardo asked.

“Oh yeah, it’s fine. Really helps getting those muscles back into shape,” Kadar grinned as he stretched his arms out and rotated his shoulders. “I’m not really sore anymore, and even I am, that’s what painkillers are for!”

“So you’re not worried about tear-” Alex started, then stopped, realizing she might be crossing into sensitive territory. But Kadar understood, and he just smiled understandingly at her.

“Nah, the stitches came out a while ago, and I’m not worried about scarring, really. ‘Sides, I reaaaally miss it, I hate not being in the water.”

“If anyone’s a fish, it’s Kadar,” Desmond said. “Played water polo and did swim team back in high school.”

“I would have been better if I didn’t have ten extra pounds hanging off my chest!” Kadar laughed.

“Aw I thought you were plenty good from what I remember,” Leonardo smiled. “But I’m glad you’re doing better and getting back out there. Been missing you at the beach.”

“Okay but haven’t all of you been though?” Kadar smirked. Both Leonardo and Desmond rolled their eyes, and Desmond lightly elbowed him in the side.

“That’s really cool though,” Alex said, admiration in her voice. “A-All of that is.”

Satisfaction bubbled up in Desmond’s chest, happy for Alex for being so relaxed and finally having someone to actually relate to. He knew inviting Alex over tonight would work out.

**x-X-X-x**

A few hours later they all found themselves back at the Miles residence. The cops had finally shown up to chase them off, so they piled back into cars and went on back home. Leonardo and Yusuf went home, Ezio as driven home by Cristina because he got totally plastered at the beach, and when Cristina left herself, he drunkenly bragged to all of them that she was the best, the best of the best, no other girl could top her, he loooooved her soooooo much. It made for _really_ good blackmail material that Desmond happily recorded on his phone.

Desmond and Alex stayed up long enough to play a table-top game with Altair and his friends before they finally called it quits. The “adults”, by this point, were happily buzzed or sober enough to drive themselves home, Kadar saying his goodbyes to them (“See you in the morning!”) and left with Mailk. Maria and Rauf left soon after, and last Desmond had checked, Altair and Adha remained, cuddled up together on the couch.

Course, Desmond had his own lovely lady to curl up with. It almost felt a little surreal having Alex in his actual bed, this being their first actual “sleepover” at his house. He had spent the night at Alex’s before, usually had arrived in the dead of the night upon Alex’s request and slept on her bedroom floor with the bed between him and the door, less the Momster come in and find him there.

But no, this time, it was Desmond’s house, his room, and his queen sized bed that they could both fit in just fine. Especially to slide in on and pull Alex’s back to his chest, and kiss her behind her ear.

“Did you have fun tonight?” He asked.

“Yes,” Alex breathed. “It was really cool meeting your brother’s friends...All of them.”

“That’s good, I’m glad you did,” Desmond replied. “I figured you would.”

“Yeah it was just like...Super nice being around some of the gayest people ever?” Alex giggled. “Like how often do you meet a big group of gays like that outside like, a bar or something.”

“Yeah, it’s really wild, but you know what they say, bird’s of a feather flock together.”

“Honestly though….Is that how you knew originally?”

“Know what?”

“Know that I was….trans? Cause of Kadar?”

“Wellllll, kinda?” Desmond mused. “I mean like….It took me forever to actually drive the idea in my head that Kadar was actually trans himself. I was a kid still when he came out, and I didn’t think much on it by calling him by his preferred name and pronouns. So I guess I kinda subconsciously put two and two together with you when I met you. I guess I just didn’t realize it at first, and then it all kinda clicked together, and well here we are.”

“Here we are,” Alex echoed. “Well, I mean….It’s probably really late to say it now, but I still appreciated that back then, and I still do now.”

“Hey, it’s no prob. And it ain’t gonna be a problem still if I can help it,” Desmond promised. Alex huffed and rolled over in his arms to face him, then kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Okay so...Another question then.”

“Shoot.”

“Everyone seems to have this like, notion that we’re a uh...couple? So I just wanted to ask...Are we? Do you consider us a thing?”

Desmond blinked, mulled it over, and asked, “Do you want us to be one? Cause you know I would love to be in a heartbeat, I wouldn’t even question it. But, I only really do if you want it. I don’t wanna force you into a relationship you don’t want, or can’t have right now.”

“Cool, that’s sweet of you, cause see the thing is...I...Do though?” Alex said.

“You do….Wanna date me?”

“Yes? ...No, I mean, yes, a solid yes. I….I wouldn’t mind. I just...I just worry a lot I won’t make you happy, or you’ll find someone better and I just-”

“Are you fucking kidding me? There is no one better! I knew I wanted to be with you the moment I looked at you. And every moment since then I’ve wanted to be with you even more. Fuck like, I was worried I was coming on too strong and you’d never want anything to do with me, and I really wouldn’t blame ya!”

“Ohmygod, do you know how many nights I’ve stayed awake ansgting about that?!”

“Do _you_ know how many _I_ have?!”

“Okay okay, fair fair. So….So….Will you just be my boyfriend already? Officially? We’re gonna be here all night otherwise, so, like, go out with me???”

As if she needed to ask. All Desmond did in response was kiss her, passionately. Cause by god, he had been waiting for this moment since February.


End file.
